News Feed nº12
First publication of the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD)
The first CARD has been published by the European Defence Agency on November 20th. The CARD is a disposition meant to provide a picture of the EU Defence landscape, to analyse defence planning and development. It concludes with tailored collaboration opportunities, linked with the 2018 EU Capability Development Priorities (CDP).
First, it draws an overview. The CARD points out that Defence budgets have increased since 2015, as regards to the security environment. However, the EU landscape still lacks coherence and is still fragmented. The EU Defence Initiatives are too recent to have yet an impact, and current national planning leaves little space for opportunities before the mid-twenties.
Second, it recommends 7 guidelines. Among them, in addition to calling the Member States to make a further use of the EU dispositions (EU CDP, Strategic Compass, CSDP Military Level of Ambition, …), it identifies six focus areas for collaboration to develop new capabilities: Main Battle Tank, Soldier Systems, European Patrol Class Surface Ship, Counter-UAS – Anti-Access/Area-Denial, Defence in Space, Enhanced Military Mobility.
European MALE RPAS program on the PATH
An important milestone has been achieved on November 19th 2020 in the European MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) program with the completion of the negotiation for the Stage 2 Contract between Airbus Defence and Space and OCCAR (representing Germany, France, Italy and Spain).
Concluded in 2018 with the System Preliminary Design Review (SPDR), the Definition study has been launched in 2016. Stage 2 Contract involve the production and the initial in-service support (5 years) of 20 systems for a total contract duration of just over 13 years. Expecting a Contract signature early 2021, the first flight is scheduled in 2025 and the first delivery for 2028.
The EuroMALE will be equipped with two turboprop engines at the request of the German side, with imposing dimensions [about an 11-ton aircraft]. The project has been the subject of intense negotiations about its price, which was 30% higher than what the client countries were willing to pay.
The French Defense Cabinet argued “of course, there are development costs associated with this program, you have to put in an entry ticket to develop a European drone. Sovereignty has a price, not just any price, but we assume it”.
10th anniversary of Lancaster House agreement and progress on Sea Venom and MMCM
2020 is the 10th anniversary of the Lancaster House agreement signed between France and Great Britain in 2010. It was aimed at developing cooperation between the two countries, via resources sharing or industrial and technological cooperation. On November 26th, a Defence conference was held by the Franco-British Council. In her intervention, the French Defence Minister, Florence Parly, stressed the recent achievements accomplished in the frame of this agreement.
First, at operational level, the joint expeditionary force CJEF has reached in 2020 its full operational capacity, allowing joint intervention. It gathers military from both countries for quick reaction, with a joint staff.
Second, at industrial level, a production contract of the binational program Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) was signed by the OCCAr to Thales on November 16th. This contract will provide France with 3 jointly developed unmanned systems for naval mine hunting.
2020 is the 10th anniversary of the Lancaster House agreement signed between France and Great Britain in 2010. It was aimed at developing cooperation between the two countries, via resources sharing or industrial and technological cooperation. On November 26th, a Defence conference was held by the Franco-British Council. In her intervention, the French Defence Minister, Florence Parly, stressed the recent achievements accomplished in the frame of this agreement.
First, at operational level, the joint expeditionary force CJEF has reached in 2020 its full operational capacity, allowing joint intervention. It gathers military from both countries for quick reaction, with a joint staff.
Second, at industrial level, a production contract of the binational program Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) was signed by the OCCAr to Thales on November 16th. This contract will provide France with 3 jointly developed unmanned systems for naval mine hunting.
Third, the Sea Venom missile, designed for an anti-ship capacity for helicopters (the Royal Navy Wildcat and the Marine Nationale Guépard), has completed successfully its second qualification firing.
Switzerland may benefit from France’s satellite imagery capacities and data
Switzerland and France concluded in 2018 agreement on their bilateral cooperation for Defence, yet to be ratified by national parliaments. In that frame, the Swiss Parliament received on November 25th a project to settle on a cooperation for granting access to French satellite imagery.
The French Satellite imagery system, CSO (Composante spatiale optique – Optical spatial component) provides high quality optical intelligence through a constellation of 3 satellites, 2 of which are still to be launched in orbit. In exchange of access to other observation systems or resources, Germany, Belgium and Sweden are already partners to the project.
The law project will give Switzerland a participation in the program, an impact via its purchases of data and images, and access to 2% of daily taken pictures and archives. Their 82 million Swiss francs financial contribution, low compared to the program cost, will cover the installation of a receiving station in Switzerland. A suspension provision allows the neutral Helvetic Confederation to withdraw for neutrality issues.
Five EU countries join to develop a new NATO medium helicopter by 2035
In parallel of the preliminary approval of the abbreviated capabilities development document of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) of the US Army, France, Germany, UK, Italy and Greece have signed the Letter of intent of a NATO’s Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) the 19th November.
The program should start to replace the current medium multi-role rotorcraft fleet by 2035. It should assist NATO in diverse missions such as insertion and extraction of special operations forces, transporting small-and medium-sized cargo and troops within operational theatres, MEDIVAC (medical evacuation), SAR (search and rescue), and anti-submarine warfare.
If no budget or detailed schedule has yet been mentioned, the next step will be the Memorandum of Understanding, expected in 2022. In the meantime other countries could join the program.
Thales to integrate combat systems for German frigates with Damen
Thales has just signed one of its biggest contract. Indeed, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Thales signed mid-November a €1.5B contract for the delivery and full integration of Thales’s Mission and Combat System for the four MKS 180 class frigates. These frigates are contracted by the German Navy.
This contract proved the power of Thales in global naval integration. It will be executed both in Germany and in the Netherlands. Some German subcontractors will also be part of the project. It aims to show the strength of European Defence industries. The first ship of the MKS 180 class will be operational in 2028. This frigate will be used for attacking targets on land and underwater, as well as providing aerial protection to other vessels. The entire programme will run for over ten years.
According to Patrice Caine, the Chairman and CEO of Thales, “this notification strengthens our long-standing cooperation with the German Navy and Damen. We sincerely thank our customers for their continued trust. This huge contract anchors our position as global leader in high-end naval systems integration”. Caine continued saying that the decision to open a European tender and to select an international team reflected a choice based on technology.
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