More equipment and more budget? The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, drew on Tuesday the contours of an “update” of the Military Programming Law (LPM), evoking the acceleration of the delivery of certain equipment, including an additional budget effort.
President Emmanuel Macron “will have the opportunity to speak, precisely in the continuation in terms of defense efforts” during his traditional speech against armies on the eve of July 14, according to him.
LPM 2024-2030 currently provides 413 billion euros for armies, with a progressive budget of more than three billion euros each year, to meet the growing needs imposed by the multiplication of international tensions.
The “main orientations” of the LPM, according to him, are not questioned by the pile of crisis and conflicts in the world, first in Ukraine, or for doubts about the solidity of US participation in Europe under the presidency of Donald Trump.
Sol-Air’s defense has “weaknesses”
“For the first time, the question will have been asked, since it had not been asked until now since the end of the Cold War: should we increase the format of our armies?” He said, however.
According to him, we will have to “accelerate the reconstruction of our ammunition actions.” The LPM already plans to dedicate 16 billion euros.
The minister also plans to anticipate certain planned deliveries for 2030 or 2035. The new generation land defense system, “that we expect a lot,” plans, for example, an inventory of eight batteries in 2030, 12 in 2035.
However, the defense of Sol-Air air is one of the “weaknesses” that, according to Sébastien Lecornu, “correct”, quickly, as well as the electronic war (Jamming, Hipage), in which “it is necessary to accelerate”, or spatial, where Europe is at risk of “winning.”
In recent months, Sébastien Lecornu has also mentioned the need for three frigates and 30 additional bursts of fighter.
Industrial pressure … and export
Regarding the orders expected by the industrialists, the Minister of the Armed Forces indicates that “all delays in the first half have been trapped.” He specifies that the General Directorate of Armamento hired 4 billion euros in orders at the end of June, without giving details of the team in question.
Current problems are related to the supply chain and subcontractors in the sector, which must be able to honor the orders imposed by the main orders, which have less difficulty absorbing increases. Sébastien Lecornu claims to have launched discussions with the main industrialists in the sector on this subject.
It also evokes the limitations represented by the export on this topic: “The pressure on export will increase”, either to provide the equipment in time, but also to guarantee its maintenance. Other issues arise in negotiations that lead to armament contracts, such as licenses or industrial counterparts.
Source: BFM TV
