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April 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Coronavirus: les industriels de défense plaident pour un "plan de relance"

Par AFP ,publié le 23/04/2020 à 19:52 , mis à jour à 19:52

Paris, 23 avr 2020 - Les industries de défense jugent "fondamental" un plan de relance de l'économie dont elles bénéficieraient face à l'épidémie de coronavirus, mettant en avant les emplois en jeu en France et la concurrence internationale, ont affirmé jeudi leurs représentants.

"Nous proposons un plan de relance pour soutenir la base industrielle et technologique de défense à l'image de ce qui avait été réalisé après la crise de 2008 pourtant beaucoup moins forte", a plaidé Stéphane Mayer, président du Conseil des industries de défense française (Cidef) lors d'une audition par les députés de la commission des Forces armées.

Il était entendu en tant que président du Groupement des industries françaises de défense et de sécurité terrestres (Gicat) au côté de ses homologues du Gifas (industries aéronautiques et spatiales), Eric Trappier, et du Gican (constructions navales), Hervé Guillou.

Le volet défense du plan de relance lancé en 2008 représentait 2,4 milliards d'euros. Il avait notamment donné lieu à la commande d'un porte-hélicoptères supplémentaire, le Dixmude, qui croise aujourd'hui dans les Antilles pour y apporter soutien logistique et matériel sanitaire face à l'épidémie de Covid-19.

Un tel plan de relance est aujourd'hui "absolument fondamental", selon eux. "La commande publique est le meilleur moyen de redémarrer l'économie", a jugé Hervé Guillou.

"Il faut être capable de relancer notre économie au risque sinon de voir déferler une vague relativement forte de problématiques d'emplois, de problématiques d'activités qui serait désastreuses", a observé Eric Trappier pour le Gifas.

Les salariés des industries de défense sont estimés à au moins 165.000 personnes, pour beaucoup très qualifiés et répartis sur l'ensemble du territoire.

"Avant de parler de relocalisations, l'industrie de défense est déjà localisée en France, donc un euro dans le budget français va directement dans l'emploi en France et l'export c'est du budget étranger qui donne de l'emploi en France", selon M. Trappier.

Le secteur est contributeur net à la balance commerciale, mais fait face à une forte concurrence internationale, notamment d'Allemagne, de Chine ou des États-Unis. "Or, nos principaux concurrents se sont mis dans une situation de redémarrage [de l'activité] qui pourrait très rapidement tuer nos parts de marché", a estimé Hervé Guillou.

Entendue par les sénateurs le 10 avril, la ministre des Armées Florence Parly avait affirmé que son ministère, "premier investisseur de l'État", aurait "un rôle particulier à jouer lorsqu'il s'agirait de relancer l'économie française".

https://lentreprise.lexpress.fr/actualites/1/actualites/coronavirus-les-industriels-de-defense-plaident-pour-un-plan-de-relance_2124513.html

On the same subject

  • Germany's Bundeswehr 'lacks basic equipment' for NATO mission

    February 20, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Land

    Germany's Bundeswehr 'lacks basic equipment' for NATO mission

    The German army reportedly lacks the tents, winter clothes and other essential equipment needed for its deployment in a NATO rapid reaction force. The German defense ministry pledged that the items would be procured. German soldiers do not have enough protective vests, winter clothing and tents to head NATO's 'spearhead force,' the newspaper Rheinische Post reported on Monday, citing a paper presented to the Defense Ministry. The news comes as Germany prepares to take over the leadership of the multinational Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) Army Command at the start of next year, with Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen (top picture) under intense pressure to bring equipment up to scratch by then. Read more: Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen: Germany will spend more on its military Commenting on the article on Monday, Germany's Defense Ministry said that combat readiness of German troops would be ensured. "Currently, the selected troops are going through the phase of preparation and mobilization," spokesman Jens Flosdorff said in Berlin. During this phase, the ministry is checking which equipment is already available, and "what is still needed," he said. The authorities are set to complete the process by the end of 2018, at the latest. Flosdorff also said that "Bundeswehr is ready and able to fulfill its commitments," and that the missing items "are being procured." Sleeping cold The Monday report cites the internal paper by Germany's Army Command as stating that the army would lack sufficient tents until at least 2021. According to the Army Command report, 10,282 mobile "accommodation units" are needed for the army's deployment in the VJTF for the period 2018 to 2020, but only 2,500 are currently available — and even these are not fit for purpose. Protective vests and winter clothing were also in such short supply that it would be "impossible" to ensure that demands were met, it said. Last week, German media reported that the Bundeswehr was also lacking sufficient tanks and operational aircraft to fulfill its duties as VJTF leader, along with other equipment shortfalls such as night-vision equipment and automatic grenade launchers. Read more: German military short on tanks for NATO mission 'Scandalous situation' The Rheinische Post said German parliamentarians reacted with outrage to news of the latest deficiencies. "We cannot and will not accept" such supply gaps, said defense expert Fritz Felgentreu from the Social Democratic Party (SPD). The Free Democrat (FDP) politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann found even stronger words. "The fact that even basic equipment such as protective vests and winter clothing is in short supply shows what a miserable state the Bundeswehr is in as a result of cutting costs," she said, adding that her party would set up a subcommittee to "look into this scandalous situation" at the next meeting of the Bundestag's Defense Committee. The VJTF is a 5,000-strong force initiated by NATO in 2014 to counter the threat of Russian military aggression against Baltic member states. The force is supposed to be capable of going into action within 24 hours. http://www.dw.com/en/germanys-bundeswehr-lacks-basic-equipment-for-nato-mission/a-42638910

  • LEONARDO SIGNS DEAL WORTH AROUND €180M TO UPGRADE NATO'S ELECTRONIC WARFARE TRAINING EQUIPMENT

    February 4, 2019 | International, C4ISR

    LEONARDO SIGNS DEAL WORTH AROUND €180M TO UPGRADE NATO'S ELECTRONIC WARFARE TRAINING EQUIPMENT

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  • Are the days of pulling pits at the rifle range coming to an end?

    December 19, 2018 | International, Land

    Are the days of pulling pits at the rifle range coming to an end?

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