With an increase of more than 18 billion euros, France has managed to position itself as one of the most important European countries in terms of exports of military equipment: last 2024 was recorded as the second best year in history for French defense material . Both Rafale fighters and attack submarines are the main military exports of the European power internationally, and their demand has been crucial for “develop the defense industrial and technological base” and a “prerequisite” for the sovereignty of the country, according to the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu.
Broadly speaking, orders for 2024 included almost €10 billion for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighter jet and Naval Group’s submarines, according to Lecornu. In statistical terms, France’s global defense export orders doubled: they went from €8.2 billion in 2023 to more than €18 billion. Dassault Aviation announced export orders for 30 Rafale fighters last year, with export deliveries of the planes increasing from two to seven units.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France was the second largest arms exporter between 2019 and 2023 after the United States. With 11% of global arms exports, the country uses exports to sustain its “strategic autonomy”: term coined to maintain the construction of national capabilities with an extremely smaller economy when compared to the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
According to the official, an annual increase in the defense budget of 3 billion euros will possibly be allocated, which will definitely “It’s not a roof”. For Lecornu, it is crucial “not weaken” in the face of increasing threats to national security, in addition to France being “only at the beginning“to achieve a”true war economy”. “The war economy we are implementing should also make our defense industry more competitive in the export market”he pointed out.
Towards 2025: defense priorities for France
In the same speech, the minister sought to make a call for 2025 to be “a new record year”, since the industry is “vital for the trade balance and for creating jobs throughout France.” In order to boost exports of ships, submarines, radars, Rafale aircraft, among others, it is crucial that efforts be intensified.
In this context, Lecornu pointed out that legislators must “assume your responsibilities”, mentioning that the defense budget must be quickly allocated to the armed forces to guarantee the real military effectiveness of the country. Similarly, it asked manufacturers to “take more risks” around weapons innovation.
But the minister sought to make clear what they will be The main priorities for France in 2025: artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space and drones.
About artificial intelligencehighlighted that AI will be deployed throughout the Department of Defense, starting with operational and cyber intelligence, so that it is available in all possible spaces (such as anti-drone warfare, operational decision making, fire control for ground robots , among others). “The year 2025 should allow us to go up a gear and turn France into one of the leading countries in the world in the field of military artificial intelligence”he stated.
On the other hand, he highlighted that France will bet on quantum technologiesdeploying inertial units in submarines and Rafale aircraft, the country’s main workhorses in 2024. It is also expected to apply quantum atomic clocks in national satellites, considering that this type of technology will have “a great impact” on the way of doing things. the war, according to the minister.
Mastery of space will also be crucial in 2025 for the European country, with the first commercial flight of the Ariane 6 launcher that will put the CSO-3 military surveillance satellite into orbit. Besides, drones will play a central role for Lecornu, who wants to ensure that “each Army unit, each Navy surface ship or each Air and Space Force aircraft” has its accompanying drones and its corresponding anti-drone system.
*Photographs used for illustration.
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