Dans l’Arctique, le Danemark renforce ses capacités militaires

On the same subject

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  July 27, 2023 | International, Naval

  AUKUS succeeds if US eases defense regulations for allies

  The greater risk to our own national security is continuing to treat our technology as too precious to share.

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  October 30, 2020 | International, Naval

  Naval Group keeps its head down during the pandemic

  By: Sebastian Sprenger COLOGNE, Germany — French shipbuilder Naval Group is counting its blessings of full order books during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, conscious that defense companies will be scrutinized as national economies contract, according to CEO Eric Pommellet. The company so far has seen no impact on its activities, including big-ticket shipbuilding programs in Europe, Australia and South America, Pommellet told reporters during a conference call last week. “We have not lost any projects, we have not lost any customers. All of the defense programs have been kept intact in terms of government budgets for all of our customers,” he said. Pommellet's comments fall in line with a trend throughout Europe of governments trying to preserve, if not boost, their defense budgets in the midst of an economic crisis whose contours are still taking shape amid drastic new measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. France and Germany announced new lockdown measures this week, with offers by the governments to ease the blow to companies. In France — which represents 70 percent of Naval Group's business, according to Pommellet — officials consider defense spending a national stimulus. Still, the situation remains fluid, as the company has worked to adapt its operations to keep the workforce healthy. “When I look at the overall situation for now, I would say: ‘No impact,' ” Pommellet said. “The question will be tomorrow, of course. And here, I'm unable to look into the crystal ball.” The uncertainty has driven the company to keep its head down and plug away on the work at hand. “This is a moment where we must stick to our projects and stay in touch with our customers,” Pommellet said. “Delivering and serving our customers at absolutely perfect performance in this period sends a key message. Because tomorrow, they will remember that we were there.” It also may not be the time for bold moves when it comes to pursuing further consolidation in Europe's naval shipbuilding sector in the face of competition from China and Russia. The perennial vision of consolidation has yet to gain traction across the continent. For now, Pommellet said, he wants to ensure cooperation with Italy's Fincantieri, under the banner of the Naviris joint venture, can bear fruit. “Let's stick to what we do. Let's deliver, let's satisfy our customer, let's demonstrate that what we're doing is good and see tomorrow where the wind is blowing,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/smr/euronaval/2020/10/29/naval-group-keeps-its-head-down-during-the-pandemic/

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  August 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Finland’s $12 billion fighter plan dodges the post-pandemic budget ax

  By: Gerard O'Dwyer HELSINKI — The Finnish government's budget proposal for 2021 has allayed concerns of delays or reduced funding for the Armed Forces' (FAF) HX Fighter Program. The plan will effectively increase the military's budgetary framework in 2021 by $2 billion to $5.8 billion to meet phase one of the project's procurement costs. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced Finland to significantly increase international borrowings and further load national debt, was feared to have a negative bearing of the fighter replacement project, particularly against the backdrop of a potential economic recession and grim forecasts of an 8 to 10 percent drop in GDP in 2020. Instead, the 2021 budget both protects and moves forward the $12 billion national security capital investment. The HX Fighter Program will have a “substantial effect” on the FAF's budgetary position and finances from 2021, said the HX Program's Director, Lauri Puranen. The $5.8 billion allocation represents a massive 54 percent increase on the FAF's defense budget for 2021 compared to 2020. Moreover, the higher financial provision will elevate military non-aligned Finland's defense spend, as a ratio of GDP, from 1.4 percent in 2020 to over 2 percent in next year. Finland plans to procure up to 64 fighters to replace its ageing fleet of F/A-18C/D Hornets. The government is slated to finalize its decision on the choice of fighter aircraft in 2021. The project timetable, with oversight from the FDF's Logistics Command, envisages the Finnish Air Force taking delivery of new fighters over the period 2025 to 2030. International fighter aircraft in contention for the $12 billion contract include the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 and the Saab Gripen. Phase two of the HX project is currently underway. This is focused on the content of the procurement in respect to each individual bidder. A request for best and final offers will be sought at the end of the second phase of negotiations in the fourth quarter of 2020, and ahead of a government decision on selection in the first half of 2021. Although the 2021 budget has secured project-specific funding for the HX Fighter Program, the overall fragile state of Finland's national finances threatens to curtail capital increases to other areas of defense, including training and multi-branch field exercises, in that year. Gen. Timo Kivinen, the FAF's defense chief, said that while the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the postponement of exercises, it has not affected Finland's military readiness. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/08/18/finlands-12-billion-fighter-plan-dodges-the-post-pandemic-budget-axe/