The case of the Argentine exocet is yet to show

What are the causes of the regression of French exports of defence equipment Yves Fromion report first noted a hardening of the competition in the export, the good performance of the United States (growing), of the United Kingdom (the highlighted DESO efficiency) and the Russia. The Germany is considered "highly virulent" in both land and naval, with good practices as users clubs. The Israelis are formidable competitors. The report also notes the non-application (or partial application) of the OECD agreement by some of the countries experiencing a growing export success (United Kingdom, Russia, China, Israel, India, South Africa, etc.). The inability of the France to provide "rustic" products at low prices. Finally, the France is voluntary restrictions with respect to some potential clients (Venezuela, Pakistan, Taiwan, Indonesia), sometimes linked to us pressure. The report points out that for the French industrialists, Westernization of Russian platforms (opportunity for Thales and Safran/Sagem including) is a necessity.

The recommendations. To decongest the Council (which deals with 600 cases per month), it is proposed to delete prior negotiation and sale approvals for equipment subject to AEMG by a procedure "Declaration of intent to export", likely to lead to, either on a tacit agreement with the administration under thirty days for applications that pose no problem, or over a period of sixty days for more complex cases consultation. The report also advocates creating an inter-ministerial Committee for exports of defence and security (CIEDES) placed under the authority of the Prime Minister to strengthen interdepartmental level in the direction of the defence export policy.

In the DGA, Yves Fromion advocates the creation of a Directorate of support for defence exports (DISED), in replacement of the existing DDI and entrust responsibility to a delegate General Deputy to the DGA, who is also Secretary General of CIEDES. Finally, it considers desirable to extend international missions of Sofresa society and entrusted, by way of conversion, the implementation of the trade in materials of opportunity and rustic materials of the practice of the export of influence.

This report was expected: it is also said that he was running the risk of disappointing. Published too late after the French failures, particularly in the field of Aeronautics, to produce a salutary shock, too early to deadlines presidential to be heard and hope to be applied in its recommendations, it is likely to know the same fate as the other parliamentary reports: oblivion.

Turn on errors and approximations, including in the chapter on competition: might be the Russia of emerging player in the export. The Russia, which has, according to the best French specialists, approximately 20 of the world arms market, has always been present despite the collapse of the USSR. It is true that the export has always been a pillar of its foreign policy (see Indian and Chinese contracts entered into in the early 1990s and now great to state contracts signed with the Algeria, tomorrow with the Venezuela and possibly the Libya).

However, there are points on which the report slides too fast the report as foreign competition. It does not say that the competitors, including German, American, Swedish, Russian and Israeli, are aggressive. It must especially emphasize the fact that they are often overlooked French State services. The inability to answer the essential questions on competition is the first factor of failure. What is circuit decision in the client country Who are the competitors How are they organized What product is promoted In what version At what price What is the budget of the client What is the local network What is the schedule of the competition Corrupting that Which broadcasts what and why None of these issues received the lesser early response to Singapore...

Throughout the campaign, the industrial remains unclear and cannot rely on its own specialists in economic intelligence and its consultants private, often more reactive to events, more attentive to change and more knowledgeable; added to this state of affairs of geographical impasses on the part of promotion services: Central Asia, South America, Central, Eastern, Baltic and Balkan Europe, and a few key European countries (Spain, Sweden, etc.). On these areas, information on competitors, or active positions or short positions, is random, fragmented and often outdated.

The OECD convention. Regarded as a scarecrow to export both the DDI that industry, convention which prohibits and punishes corruption cannot be the subject of a review, however ardently desired. Person in France take the political risk. However, the France must have a doctrine and advocate strongly for a change: why not to repeat the idea for Marwan Lahoud, CEO of MBDA (see n 167 of aviation Business), who suggested to prohibit industrial countries that have not signed or improperly applying the OECD convention to contribute to international tenders If such a rule was applied, nor the Russia, United Kingdom, Israel or the South Africa could promote their products...

What is the impact of the operational guidelines of the French foreign policy on the export of weapons The France, because it represented another way diplomatic that Europe or the United States and the Russia, because it had diplomatic assets and clearly distinguished from the rest of the other European countries, could still expect to export in meddling in the faults of competing devices: South America, Asia and Europe.

The alignment of the France on the Europe of defence blurs the French message to export. What difference therefore between the Rafale and Typhoon, imperfect aircraft, but co-produced by four European countries The Rafale has a defect, if not because it is "French" and

European, but beautiful and well because it is not enough French, that is as strong as its technological performance diplomatic value. This connection must be extended to a more general observation: the France has more than geopolitics and its options on some countries wishing to buy French (Taiwan, the Venezuela, the Libya, Pakistan) are hesitant, fluctuating, discourage French industrialists and encourage their competitors. This shuffling is reflected in the random decisions of the Council: permissions without notification to industry, reports sine die following US pressure, sale of platforms without weapons leave... The France has thus aligned itself with the convention of the OECD, the ban on the export of manpads, and each time without thinking about the impact of such decisions on its exports.

The guarantee of security brings export. The purchase of French hardware allows the French armies to cooperate closely with the client countries of a system of major weapons (aircraft, frigates, helicopters, missiles), to end users, their training and their doctrine of employment. In case of conflict, these exported materials are therefore known French forces and are "predictable". Industrialists, they maintain a strong presence in the client countries, are invited on the bases and can see in situ the entry into service and packaging of the material. In case of victory of a competitor (especially Russian, Israeli or third party), the French armed forces such as industrialists can than to attempt to reconstruct the performance of foreign material sold instead of their: this totally changes the provides security and control of proliferation (especially in the field of arms). The case of the Argentine exocet is yet to show... It is regrettable that the Fromion report had not waited Denizot report on the contribution of the armed forces to support export, because they are not in terms of security, directly involved in the export. The case of the Algeria who bought Russian arms aircraft heavily equipped and armed, can only worry about the French Air Force. The Council, which gave only a gust without MICA-IR, is directly responsible for this state of affairs.

Delays weigh on programs that European cooperation: ups and downs of the Trigat-LP which played into the hands of the Israeli Spike; failure of cooperation on armoured vehicles which was losing many years GIAT to design and propose to export its VBCI, etc.

The lure of European preference. Whereas the European defence market is now open, the European Defence Agency starts its activities, the Fromion report would have been well advised to say that European countries feel absolutely not related to the purchase of European armaments. The Netherlands, the Spain, the Poland, the Czech Republic, the Romania, the Italy, are prime examples.

The Organization of the export device. Turn on the fact that the interference of some political networks, until very recently, breaker of big contracts (Saudi Border Guard Development Program, for example) to retain analysis: Fromion report does not go after the logic that would have been to consolidate, in a single structure, the DCI Group (for expertise in terms of training)Sofresa and offices for their geographic added value, the DDI to retain control of the promotion. It does not propose delete the duality of the actors responsible for the promotion: DDI/D and the departmental representative. Let's all net: remove the departmental representative and replace it with a Secretary to the Prime Minister, with the operational Deputy, the Director of the current DGA/DDI, both having at their disposal the Group Inn, DDI, Sofresa and offices, i.e. all of the levers of action: promotion, compensation, cooperation, training and operational assistance. For intelligence and strategic and prospective analysis, detachments of experts of the DGSE, the DRM, DEA and the DST in this new direction are expected to facilitate interdepartmental coordination. This branch would make available to the industrial single window of business intelligence to serve as a bridge between industry and State. Such a reform is, alas, in the current state of the political situation impossible.

The statement of the deadlocks in the report or half measures to suggest, it cannot only be surprised by the news of the words of Jacques Bainville, recorded in his diary from 1901 to 1918: "it is still a trivial truth: French is placed to fight foreign competition in a State of inferiority both later bad domestic policy of the country which makes it expensive to working conditions by the effect of an external without force as without coherence policy." "no leads or second exports."

BOX .

India: Thales wants to modernize the Mirage 2000

French Thales is currently undertaking an effort to win the market for the modernization of the Mirage 2000 of the Indian Air Force. After a first approach to informal on the part of the India, it would seem that a first proposal was passed in June. The industrial team should go to India this month to advance discussions and seek clarification about the offsets. This new clause offset, introduced in 2005 in all arms contracts, indeed seems to always also fuzzy and random. The modernization of the Mirage would take place in Bangalore with the cooperation of HAL. The proposed level of upgrade would put Indian standard 2000-5 aircraft. Their life span be extended until 2020-25. The IAF would especially improve the operational capabilities, the management of multiple targets, the ability to multi-role, as well as air-to-air and Air-to-ground combat. "If we receive the contract today, we should be able to rétrofiter a first pair of two devices within three years.". "Then, the tempo would two per month", explained Frédérique André in April.