via FlightGlobal.
Deliveries of the Dassault Rafale fighter, Airbus Military A400M transport and A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) to France could be slowed significantly over the next six years, if the nation's newly proposed military planning law is adopted.Read it and weep bat fans.
Outlined by defence minister Jean Yves Le-Drian on 2 August, the suggested spending plan for 2014-19 would slow deliveries of the Rafale to a combined 26 aircraft for the French air force and navy. While a significant reduction from the 11 examples currently being produced per annum, the fall could be accommodated if potential export sales are finalised. A Dassault-led team is still negotiating the terms for a planned 126-unit order for India, with the type also on offer to nations including Brazil, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
The fighter industry has gone off the rails. The only people right now buying new advanced fighters are the US (in small batches) and the rich Middle Eastern countries.
Once sequestration hits this fall, I wonder if we might see a global slow down in the defense sector.
Why exactly do you think the Rafale never took off outside of France? Historically French fighters have done fantastic on the foreign market. Capability wise the French claim it's just as good as the Eurofighter (something I'm skeptical of). I assume they're right, though, in claiming its better than the Gripen. Price wise it can't be any more expensive than the Eurofighter.
ReplyDeleteWhat's held it back?
i'd say it was one thing and one thing alone.
Deleteprice.
the French once put out western style fighter (including avionics) that were as good as the Americans or Brits yet at less costs and none of the pesky issues with rights after buying them. too many strings attached to US planes, the Gripen isn't prestigious enough yet the F-35 will cost too much. i really expect to see the same thing happen in aviation that we've seen in armor. the upgrade market will be where the money is and i expect to see some radical stuff start appearing.
Lack of enemies.
DeleteWhy would Brazil buy a 120 million fighter? Who is it going to fight? Argentina, Venevuela? The A-29 is what they really not a supersonic multi-role fighter that will on occasion drop a smart bomb for a cost of 20 grand a flight hour.
South Africa just retired it's Gripens for the same reason. Even the cheap aircfact was too expensive when you have no enemies.
A "lack of enemies" is exactly what the US thought it had before the outbreak of WWII.
DeleteThe whole nation asked at once, "Why would the Japanese attack us at Pearl Harbor??"
Well it is better currently than the Typhoon in most situations, as shown by the Swiss evaluation report -and trust me, the Swiss are not fond of the French- but also in various trainings, A to G operations obviously and mostly electronic wise -AESA radar several years ahead of Typhoon, jamming, self protection systems-.
DeleteTo stick with the context, this austerity measure just acted the french white paper 2013 which recommended 225 fighters instead of 285 so far for the French air force. It also corrected the number of Rafale M (Navy) following the abandonment of a second aircraft carrier.
So having ~115 Rafales currently, the French air force can wait a few years and still use its hundreds of Mirage 2000, Mirage F1 and Super-Etendard
One thing is uncertain though, that is the production numbers of the Rafale. And it's complicated. The cruise regime of its factory is 22units/year, the minimum is 11/year (current rate !!). Below 11, Dassault doesn't make profit and would try to convert the factory into producing luxury buisness planes -falcon series-.
But France is bound by contract with Dassault to buy 11 aircraft per year, otherwise Dassault can ask for financial penalty (huge or small ? it's not publicly known) UNLESS there is an export order to bring that number to 11.
That's were all the sadness is. If you got this correctly, you understand that Dassault is getting an ANNUITY from the French state. And therefore, Dassault is not agressive enough export wise because if he cuts the prices and win an export deal, the French will jump on the occasion to apply more austerity on the Rafale program.
Honestly, France can afford it.
ReplyDeleteHolland's socialists are just trying to scrounge up cash for the welfare state.