Back to news

October 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Armement : la bombe incendiaire de la filière défense (GICAT) contre les banques françaises

Michel Cabirol

Sous la pression d'éventuelles sanctions américaines et des ONG, les banques françaises, dont BNP Paribas et Société Générale, appliquent désormais des règles de conformité (compliance) excessives pour les entreprises de défense considérées comme des entreprises à risque pour un financement. Cette tendance est en train d'étrangler progressivement une industrie de souveraineté.

"Même si vos solutions semblent d'avenir et votre stratégie business cohérente, vous accompagner est trop risqué pour nous compte-tenu de la part de la défense dans vos contrats à venir".

"Le critère de souveraineté n'est pas notre sujet quand nous évaluons un financement".

"Ce n'est pas parce que la BPI vous soutient, que vous avez des contrats déjà signés, que nous devons vous suivre aveuglément"...

Les refus de financement des banques françaises se multiplient, les témoignages désespérés, notamment des PME ou start-up de la filière défense, aussi. Clairement les banques, dont BNP Paribas et Société Générale, jouent de moins en moins le jeu pour financer et/ou accompagner une industrie souveraine, la défense, qui reste pourtant soutenue par l'État français, selon une note du GICAT (Groupement des industries françaises de défense et de sécurité terrestres et aéroterrestres) envoyée aux ministères des Armées et de l'Économie et que La Tribune a pu se procurer. Consciente du danger mortel que cette situation représente pour le secteur, la commission de la défense de l'Assemblée nationale souhaite s'emparer de ce sujet en lançant d'ici à la fin de la semaine une mission flash sur ce dossier extrêmement sensible.

"Depuis maintenant deux ans, notre industrie de défense est confrontée à un problème croissant : le système bancaire et financier français est de plus en plus réticent à accompagner nos entreprises du secteur de la défense tant pour leur développement qu'en soutien à l'exportation", constate cette note du GICAT.

Les directions juridiques ont pris le pouvoir

Les refus de financement se décident principalement dans les bureaux discrets des équipes de juristes et d'avocats (compliance et éthique) devenues très puissantes (trop ?) au sein des directions des banques françaises. Ces dernières refusent des financements dans le développement, voire l'ouverture de compte auprès de jeunes entreprises "pure player" de la défense ou duales, assure le GICAT. "Les organismes bancaires décident de manière discrétionnaire de critères de compliance très poussés, se basant sur les analyses et recommandations de prestataires privés dont il n'est pas précisé le nom ou la nationalité", regrette l'organisation professionnelle. C'est le cas entre autre de la Société Générale, citée dans le document du GICAT : "l'industrie de la défense fait l'objet d'une attention particulière compte tenu du détournement potentiel d'usage de ses produits".

"Au-delà des réglementations applicables, le groupe Société Générale définit dans la présente politique des critères additionnels d'exclusion et d'évaluation, qui...

https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/armement-la-bombe-incendiaire-de-la-filiere-defense-gicat-contre-les-banques-francaises-860045.html

On the same subject

  • Rafael hopes quantum technology can help in GPS-denied environments

    December 9, 2020 | International, C4ISR

    Rafael hopes quantum technology can help in GPS-denied environments

    Seth J. Frantzman Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has been investing in quantum technology in the hopes that it will improve existing sensors on the battlefield and could lead to a solution for GPS-denied environments. Because the technology is linked to better positioning, navigation and time-keeping, company leaders said they believe it could “revolutionize” this space. Alternative means of PNT have become a priority for militaries throughout the world as jammers become less expensive and more ubiquitous while the reliance on PNT information increases. In particular, Rafael executives are encouraged that “extremely high-performance quantum accelerometers and gyroscopes can be designed to be the basis of the next generation inertial navigation systems,” a company official said. These sensors can exploit the quantum properties of atoms to measure acceleration and angular rates with unprecedented accuracy, which, in turn, allows for “dead-reckoning navigation for relatively long periods of time while essentially keeping GPS/GNSS accuracy.” Rafael's team working on quantum technology, which includes Alon Gabbay, head of miniature quantum sensors group of the Manor division and Nitzan Link, of the CTO Technology Center of the Manor Division of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, were among those who discussed the potential for the technology with Defense News. Quantum technology is about sensors that “measure discrete energy levels and difference in change with magnetic or electric fields,” a Rafael official said. The struggle for engineers has been that while this technology has existed for decades, particularly in university labs, miniaturizing it and using it in defense systems is a challenge. While Rafael is traditionally Israel's research and development arm for new weapon systems, it is also the company behind the Trophy defense system, Litening targeting pod and Iron Dome air defense technologies. Rafael has also rolled out new digitized battlefield concepts and used optics to better match scenes and leverage artificial intelligence. “Quantum technologies can give rise to ultra-sensitive gravitational and magnetic measurements, hence opening the possibility of using anomaly maps to aid inertial navigation,” a company official told Defense News. “Atomic clocks use quantum technologies to provide highly stable and accurate frequency standards; the resulting technology can be used for time-keeping opening new possibilities for using communications as an aid to an integrated navigation system.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2020/12/08/rafael-hopes-quantum-technology-can-help-in-gps-denied-environments/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 4, 2019

    March 5, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 4, 2019

    MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corporation Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a non-competitive hybrid contract line item numbers type (cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursement) contract under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) cases to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The total estimated value of this contract is $945,900,000. Under this undefinitized contract action, the contractor will provide Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) FMS KSA Phase I long lead items, obsolescence, tooling and test equipment, key personnel, line requalification activities, initial training development, System Integration Lab and testbeds, three-level maintenance concept, exportability, and early engineering development. The work will be performed in: Dallas, Texas; Lufkin, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Anniston, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; Troy, Alabama; and Sunnyvale, California. The performance period is from Feb. 28, 2019, through Oct. 31, 2026. KSA FMS funds in the amount of $945,900,000 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-0007). NAVY Corvid Technologies LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina, is awarded a $223,277,038 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the delivery of hardware, equipment and components for manufacturing and integration of short- and medium-range sub-orbital flight vehicles supporting Navy, other government agencies, and Foreign Military Sales testing over a five-year ordering period. The flight vehicles are exo-atmospheric rocket-based vehicles specifically configured to deliver payloads and test articles into a flight regime of interest for systems under test. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (76 percent); other government agencies (12 percent); and Foreign Military Sales to the government of Japan (12 percent). Work will be performed at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (70 percent); Mooresville, North Carolina (10 percent); Herndon, Virginia (5 percent); Glen Burnie, Maryland (5 percent); Las Cruces, New Mexico (5 percent); and Huntsville, Alabama (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Foreign Military Sales (Japan) funding in the amount of $8,021,855 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-5001). General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is being awarded a $76,210,586 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform planning and execution efforts and alterations during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $38,320,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut is awarded a $60,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-2104 to provide additional support and services during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $30,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $55,077,981 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform the planning and execution efforts and installation of the Stern Area System during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 (subject to availability of funds) research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $27,680,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. Serco Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $41,304,910 modification under fixed-price contract (N39430-16-C-1811) to exercise Option Period Three for lifecycle sustainment of physical security/access control and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems in support of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Ashore Program at various Navy installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for preventive maintenance of hardware, associated firmware, and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul, or replacement; information assurance vulnerability alert to include version control, patch management, and vulnerability scanning; asset management to track, maintain, upgrade, and dispose of systems; configuration management to establish and maintain consistency of the system attributes with operational requirements and evolving technical baseline; technical refreshments, upgrades and installation of new systems; and programmatic trend analysis to identify systemic sustainment issues such as technology obsolescence. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $160,741,210. Work will be performed at various installations worldwide, and work is expected to be completed March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,304,910 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Gilbane Federal, Concord, California, is awarded an $8,403,802 firm-fixed-price modification to decrease the value of the contract for the cleaning, inspection, and repair of fuel storage tanks 602, 604 and 605 at Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) Tsurumi, Japan, from the task order scope of work. After award of this modification, the total remaining task order value will be $4,733,405. Work will be performed in Tsurumi, Japan, and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2016 defense working capital (Defense Logistics Agency) contract funds in the amount of $8,403,802 will be de-obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-15-D-1634). ARMY REEL COH Inc., Mobile, Alabama (W9128F-19-D-0019); PaR Sytstems, Shoreview, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0020); Knight Construction & Supply Inc.,* Deer Park, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0021); Crane Technologies,* Rochester Hills, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0022); and Garco WEMCO JV, Spokane, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0023), will compete for each order of the $99,900,000 contract for crane rehabilitation and replacement. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with an estimated completion date of March 3, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Missiles Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded an $8,469,594 modification (P00026) to Foreign Military Sales (Japan, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Germany and Netherlands) contract W31P4Q-17-D-0026 for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target Advanced Capability-3 Missile Support Center Field Missile Activities. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Steris Corp., Mentor, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $48,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 74 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a March 3, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0011). Aurora Industries LLC,* Camuy, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $18,672,261 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for coats for the Army Combat Uniform and Improved Hot Weather Combat Uniform. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Sept. 3, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1137). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Defense Space Security, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $40,000,000 undefinitized fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8634-18-C-2697 for Infra-Red Search and Track Block II Ship Sets. This modification provides for the production of an additional six Block II IRST Ship Sets. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; and Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2017 procurement funds in the amount of $19,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $249,784,825. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. JASR Systems LLC, La Jolla, California, has been awarded an $8,107,308 firm-fixed-price contract for research and development. This contract provides for the development of chip-scale Optical Phased Arrays and Light Detection and Ranging systems that leverages Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Modular Optical Aperture Building Blocks (MOABB) Phase 1, and maps to Phases 2 and 3 of the MOABB program respectively. Work will be performed in La Jolla, California, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 1, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2018 research, test, development and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7916). * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1774554/

  • New contract with the Royal Navy will extend QinetiQ's test and evaluation capabilities into ASW training

    June 7, 2019 | International, Naval, C4ISR

    New contract with the Royal Navy will extend QinetiQ's test and evaluation capabilities into ASW training

    QinetiQ has confirmed it has secured a new contract to provide the Royal Navy with advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training services using the latest target simulation technology from Saab. The new contract will extend QinetiQ's long-term partnership role at the MOD's British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) at the Kyle of Lochalsh into the training environment. Significantly, the new training service supports the Royal Navy's forthcoming introduction of Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and will increase ASW training opportunities while also maximising operational deployment of the submarine fleet. It will also provide unprecedented training analytics to optimise exercise outcomes and deliver world-leading training capabilities. With QinetiQ as the lead partner, the new contract is the result of a progressive and close collaboration between QinetiQ, Saab and Serco. The new programme will capitalise on Saab's state of the art AUV62-AT autonomous underwater vehicle system to provide full and effective simulation of an operational submarine in a wide range of training scenarios. Highly experienced QinetiQ personnel will coordinate, manage and control all deployment of the simulated target, with Serco providing the vessels for launch and recovery. De-risking trials were completed by the QinetiQ team at BUTEC, and two successful training serial events have already been completed off the south west coast of England. According to the Royal Navy's Lt Cdr Ben Costley-White, Staff Warfare Officer (Under Water) to Flag Officer Sea Training, the new contract led by QinetiQ will transform the Navy's ASW training capabilities. “This move will enable us to harness the expertise of QinetiQ and the very latest simulation technologies to deliver comprehensive and first class ASW training exercises without the limitations posed by the practicalities and cost of redeploying submarine assets for training purposes. This represents a major step change in our training options and our ability to harness analytical data for effective evaluation of all ASW training.” “We're delighted to be extending our test and evaluation capabilities into the training environment for the Royal Navy,” says QinetiQ's Stu Hider, Programme Director (Maritime). “Combining our expertise and experience in programme planning and delivery with the world's most advanced target simulation technology will help to ensure the Royal Navy benefits from the most versatile, cost-effective and sophisticated ASW training solution.” https://www.qinetiq.com/News/2019/06/New-contract-with-the-Royal-Navy-will-extend-QinetiQs-test-and-evaluation-capabilities-into-ASW-training

All news