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June 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Comment les Rafale et véhicules aériens ont réduit le déficit commercial de la France en 2019

Les exportations d'armements ont dopé la balance commerciale de la France en 2019. Selon des données dévoilées le 15 juin par l'Observatoire économique de la défense, les exportations de matériels de guerre ont atteint un niveau historique.

En 2019, la France a réussi à diminuer son déficit commercial de 3,9 milliards d'euros. Comment ? Notamment gr'ce au succès de ses armements à l'international. Les exportations de matériels de guerre et produits liés ont atteint un record décennal de 11,3 milliards d'euros (+34 %), selon le bulletin du mois de mai de l'Observatoire économique de la défense (OED). Les véhicules aériens ont particulièrement contribué à ces résultats.

Quatrième meilleur secteur en excédent commercial

Le succès des armes françaises à l'export n'est pas nouveau. Début juin, le ministère des Armées rapportait un haut niveau de prises de commandes. Cette fois, on connaît la valeur totale des exportations, le type de biens exportés et également les zones géographiques vers lesquelles ils sont expédiés.

Avec 2,7 milliards d'euros d'importations, l'excédent commercial lié aux livraisons de matériels de guerre s'élève à 8,5 milliards d'euros en 2019 (+2,1 milliards d'euros et +32,8 % par rapport à 2018). “Cet excédent sectoriel est une des principales sources d'atténuation du déficit commercial de la France”, fait remarquer l'Observatoire économique de la défense. Seuls trois secteurs dépassent cet excédent commercial en France : en premier l'aéronautique civile (+29,6 milliards d'euros), l'agro-alimentaire des boissons (+13,2 milliards) et l'industrie manufacturière des parfums et des cosmétiques (+12,5 milliards).

L'aviation de défense repart

Après une stagnation entre 2017 et 2018, les exportations d'avions et d'autres véhicules aériens repartent avec une augmentation de 24,4 % entre 2018 et 2019. Cette catégorie représente à elle seule 2,8 milliards d'euros, soit 25 % de l'ensemble des exportations de matériels de guerre.

Les systèmes de propulsion (turboréacteurs, turbopropulseurs) enregistrent également une belle performance : leurs exportations ont cru de 34 % à 2,3 milliards d'euros, soit 20 % de la valeur totale exportée par la France. “Ces exportations sont principalement à destination, dans l'ordre, du Proche et Moyen-Orient, de l'Union européenne, de l'Amérique et de l'Asie”, note l'OED.

L'Observatoire économique de la défense ne détaille pas les produits livrés mais l'avion de combat Rafale de Dassault Aviation a sans doute contribué à ces résultats. En 2019, les livraisons de cet appareil vers l'étranger ont explosé à 26 exemplaires.

Belle croissance pour les instruments d'optique

Derrière, les avions et les systèmes de propulsion les armes et les munitions comptent pour 2,1 milliards d'euros (+34,7 %), soit 18 % des exportations françaises de matériels de guerre. “Près de trois quarts de ces exportations sont des bombes, des grenades, des torpilles ou des missiles”, décrit l'OED.

Les chars, les véhicules blindés, les instruments d'optique, de mesure et de précision représentent moins d'argent. En revanche ces catégories affichent les plus fortes croissances. Les exportations de véhicules blindés décollent de +56,8 % (1,1 milliard d'euros). Les instruments ont quant à eux progressé de 47 % (700 millions d'euros). “Il peut s'agir de télémètres ou encore d'appareils pour la navigation à usage militaire. 80 % des exportations sont à destination du Proche et Moyen-Orient, de l'Afrique et de l'Asie (hors Proche et Moyen-Orient)”, détaille l'OED.

Pour le secteur maritime, l'année 2019 n'a pas connu de grandes livraisons à l'international. Les navires de guerre affichent une contre-performance de -20,4 % et n'ont compté que pour 128,3 millions d'euros dans les exportations.

Les appareils de détection et de radiosondage (radars, sonars et leurs composants) affichent une croissance de 59 % à 1,8 milliards d'euros. Selon l'OED, ces matériels sont principalement exportés vers le Proche et Moyen-Orient.

Le Proche et Moyen-Orient, principaux clients de la France

De manière générale, le Proche et Moyen-Orient concentrent 42,4 % des exportations françaises (4,8 milliards d'euros, +205 %). Les résultats sont plus serrés entre les autres zones géographiques : l'Amérique représente 11,4 % des exportations (1,3 milliard), derrière l'Afrique (13,8 %, 1,6 milliard), l'Asie (15,7 %, 1,8 milliard) et l'Europe (16,7 %, 1,8 milliard).

Pour les importations, la préférence européenne joue aussi. “La majorité des importations françaises de matériels de guerre et produits liés provient de l'Union européenne : 56,2 %, soit un 1,5 milliard d'euros”, fait remarquer l'OED tandis que l'Amérique représente 27,3 % des importations (0,8 milliard).

https://www.usinenouvelle.com/editorial/comment-les-rafale-et-vehicules-aeriens-ont-reduit-le-deficit-commercial-de-la-france-en-2019.N975531

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 04, 2020

    March 5, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 04, 2020

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  • La hausse des budgets de défense en Europe pourrait profiter à l'économie française

    March 30, 2022 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    La hausse des budgets de défense en Europe pourrait profiter à l'économie française

    DÉFENSE La hausse des budgets de défense en Europe pourrait profiter à l'économie française Selon le cabinet de conseil indépendant Asterès, « si l'Union européenne (hors France) portait ses dépenses militaires à 2% du PIB, il en résulterait pour l'économie française la création de 60 000 emplois, 5,2 Md€ de valeur ajoutée et plus de 1,6 Md€ de recettes sociales et fiscales (effet directs, indirects, induits et en chaîne sur une durée de quatre ans ». Alors que les pays de l'UE (hors France) consacrent globalement 1,5% de leurs PIB aux dépenses militaires, l'Allemagne, la Suède et le Danemark ont déjà annoncé vouloir moderniser et renforcer leurs armées. Selon Asterès, « la hausse des dépenses militaires de l'UE (hors France) de 1,5% à 2% du PIB représenterait une impulsion budgétaire nette de 0,5% du PIB ». Le cabinet estime que les dépenses militaires se divisent pour moitié en salaire et pour moitié en achat de matériels. Les effets positifs sur l'économie française seraient générés par une hausse des exportations d'armement en Europe en raison de l'augmentation des dépenses militaires de l'ensemble des autres pays de l'UE. Une telle hausse générerait aussi une progression des exportations françaises de 7,2 Md€, évalue le cabinet. La Tribune du 28 mars

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    January 11, 2022 | International, Land, C4ISR

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