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April 5, 2018 | International, Aerospace

Avion de combat : la France et l'Allemagne veulent travailler ensemble

ANNE BAUER

Les ministres de la Défense française et allemande souhaiteraient réaliser ensemble un « système de combat aérien du futur ». Un projet pour remplacer à terme les Rafale et les Eurofighter.

C'est une visite importante pour les industriels du secteur. La ministre de la défense allemande, Ursula von der Leyen, vient ce jeudi à Paris rencontrer son homologue Florence Parly. Après cinq mois sans gouvernement, la ministre, confirmée à son poste par Angela Merkel, devrait maintenir l'agenda de coopération bilatérale défini lors du conseil des ministres franco-allemand du 13 juillet dernier. Notamment pour la réalisation en commun d'un grand nombre d'équipements militaires du futur : avions de combat, drones, chars...

Vers un avion de combat franco-allemand

L'engagement de la ministre est important alors que le SPD, traditionnellement hostile aux interventions militaires et aux exportations d'armes, a imposé en partie ses réticences dans le programme de gouvernement du quatrième mandat d'Angela Merkel. Toutefois, depuis juillet, les administrations et les états-majors des armées ont maintenu leurs travaux, ce qui permettra à Florence Parly et Ursula von der Leyen d'annoncer la réalisation en coopération du « système de combat aérien du futur », probablement un ensemble d'avions pilotés et de drones, voire d'outils de défense sol-air ou air-air, lors du Salon aéronautique de Berlin qui démarre le 25 avril.

A cette occasion, les deux ministres signeront ensemble un document réalisé par les états-majors français et allemand sur leurs besoins futurs. « Ce document est essentiel pour exprimer les besoins des armées, et sera ensuite décliné entre les industriels français et allemands (Dassault, Safran, MBDA, Airbus, etc.) pour converger peu à peu vers une feuille de route pour construire le système d'avion de chasse qui remplacera à l'horizon 2040 les Eurofighters de l'armée allemande et les Rafale de l'armée française », explique l'entourage de Florence Parly.

La Grande-Bretagne en attente

Un sujet majeur pour la survie de l'industrie aéronautique européenne et un symbole très fort de la nouvelle volonté de la France et de l'Allemagne de renforcer l'Europe de la défense. Si l'Allemagne et la France parviennent à travailler de concert sur l'avion de chasse de 5e génération, la probabilité que l'Allemagne choisisse l'avion de combat américain F-35 de Lockheed-Martin pour remplacer ses vieux Tornado s'éloigne. A l'hôtel de Brienne, on estime possible de faire converger les études des différents industriels jusqu'à la définition d'un projet concret en 2019.

Pas question de répéter les erreurs de l'avion de transport militaire A400M. L'Allemagne et la France veulent d'abord bien définir le projet avant d'ouvrir le projet à d'autres pays. D'autant plus que la Grande-Bretagne, empêtrée dans ses problèmes de Brexit, ne semble plus vouloir poursuivre le projet de drone de combat du futur engagé avec Dassault et BAE, ce qui oblige à une redéfinition des enjeux.

Des drones européens en 2025

Une autre coopération est en bonne voie : le futur eurodrone de moyenne altitude et de longue endurance (MALE), piloté par l'Allemagne en association avec Airbus, Dassault et Leonardo, qui doit aboutir à un contrat de réalisation l'an prochain en vue d'une livraison vers 2025.

Ce projet, dont le développement sera essentiellement financé par le Fonds européen de défense en discussion à Bruxelles, doit permettre à l'Europe de regagner une part de souveraineté, alors qu'elle doit aujourd'hui acquérir des drones Reapers américains pour sécuriser ses opérations extérieures. La France s'engagerait à acquérir 12 eurodrones (4 systèmes de trois drones) à partir de 2025.

Le tabou des exportations

D'autres coopérations sont en cours, à court terme pour la modernisation des hélicoptères Tigre, le partage des données satellitaires ou la communication et à long terme pour définir le char de combat qui remplacera les Leclerc français et les Leopard allemands.

La volonté franco-allemande de renforcer l'Europe de la défense, notamment en collaborant pour rationaliser l'industrie de l'armement européenne, demeure. Toutefois, un sujet de fond n'est pour l'instant toujours pas traité : la possibilité ou non d'harmoniser les règles d'exportation. Un sujet essentiel pour l'avenir des projets communs, à l'heure où le Parlement allemand souhaite interdire les ventes d'armes en Arabie saoudite pour protester contre ses agissements au Yemen.

Anne Bauer

https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/air-defense/0301522398411-avion-de-combat-du-futur-le-gouvernement-confirme-la-cooperation-franco-allemande-2166488.php

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