Julian Moxon/PARIS
The French navy is to receive a two-seat version of the Dassault Rafale following a decision by defence minister Alain Richard that will bring the service into line with the air force.
The navy was to be equipped with only single-seat Rafales but defence ministry sources say experience in last year's Kosovo conflict revealed the need for the full air-to-ground capability available in the two-seat multirole Rafale F2.
Richard has provided an extra Fr1.5 billion ($202 million) in the defence budget for conversion to two-seat configuration of up to 40 of the 60 aircraft the navy is to receive. Talks are still underway with Dassault on costs and delivery schedules of the aircraft. The navy is due to receive the first five single-seaters (the F1 air-to-air version) next year as part of the initial batch of 20.The two-seaters will be part of the second batch, due for initial deliveries in 2004-5.
Richard has also promised Fr20 billion for the French portion of the seven-nation Airbus Military Company A400M transport programme. No specific money for the aircraft was contained in the 2001 defence budget, revealed on 27 September, but he says funding credits "will be available by the end of the year", partly from the general national budget and partly from defence funding reserves. France intends to purchase 50 A400Ms.
The defence budget held few surprises, the Fr244.7 billion total being slightly higher than the 2000 figure. Equipment funding, at Fr83.4 billion, is up just 0.6%, while programme authorisations are down 3.1%, to Fr84.7 billion, mainly due to a 28.1% cut in the research and development budget.
Funding is maintained for the initial batch of 12 single-seat Rafales for the air force, deliveries of which begin in 2004, and for the Eurocopter Tiger anti-tank and NH Industries NH90 transport helicopters. A 53% increase in authorisation for space programmes has been provided, mainly for the Helios II observation satellite and for studies into a new telecommunications satellite.
Source: Flight International
