France Wants No More Delay In Indian Scorpene Submarine Project

France has said that delay in the Scorpene submarine project was because of inadequate infrastructure at Mumbai shipyard and price negotiations with India.

French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet, who was on a two-day visit to India, however, said there would not be any more delays in the Scorpene project as modernisation efforts at Mumbai shipyard have started showing results.

"This delay is the price to be paid by India to become autonomous in manufacturing the most modern submarines in the world... The modernisation effort (at Mumbai Shipyard) is showing results and we have good reasons to believe that there would not be more delays," Longuet said.

He was replying to a query on the progress made by both the countries in the construction of six Scorpene submarines.

The French Rafale Fighter Jet That Nobody Wants

The Rafale has cost $53 billion and is the key to France's defense economy, but it's not selling abroad.

The Rafale fighter, made by France's Dassault Aviation, is loaded with high-tech avionics, radar, and targeting systems. Now all it needs are customers. France has been peddling the supersonic jet since 2000 and hasn't sold a single one. In the latest setback, Brazil said on Jan. 17 that it would reopen bidding for a fighter contract worth up to $7 billion—a deal France had thought it was close to sealing last year. Neither Dassault nor the French Defense Ministry would comment on Brazil's decision.

The Rafale's plight signals the end of an era for France. With their Mirage fighter program, developed in the 1950s, the French were able to bolster their national defense, promote new technologies, and provide well-paying jobs—while recouping much of the cost by exporting hundreds of jets worldwide. Hoping to duplicate that model, the French government has spent some $53 billion on the Rafale, more than the country's $40 billion annual defense budget. But deal after deal has fallen through, with prospective buyers South Korea, Singapore, and Morocco choosing Boeing's (BA) F-15 and Lockheed Martin's (LMT) F-16 over the Rafale.

MBDA At Aero India 2011

  

MBDA is bringing in missile power at the Aero India 2011. Proposed in the frame of Mirage 2000 upgrade program, MICA air-to-air missile will also be displayed on MBDA stall. MICA is the only missile in the world featuring two interoperable seekers (active radar and imaging infrared) to cover the spectrum from close- in dogfight to long beyond visual range. It is sometimes referred to as the silent interceptor as it is extremely hard to defend against. For the Indian Air Force MMRCA missile solutions, MBDA is displaying Meteor, Dual Mode Brimstone, Taurus KEPD 350 and SCALP/Storm Shadow. MBDA is offering them for the three European aircraft options lined up for the IAF ’s MMRCA competition, Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Gripen.

MBDA says that Meteor, if procured, the IAF will benefit from a performance that will ensure launch aircraft survivability while minimising missile usage and, therefore, whole life cost. The Dual Mode Brimstone is MBDA ’s most recent developments and a key UK RAF weapon currently being deployed operationally in theatre in conditions not dissimilar to those that the IAF would most likely have to operate in. DMB is the only weapon currently available that can engage fast moving land and sea targets with high precision. Capable of engaging a wide variety of target types and operating safely and effectively in the complex littoral area, DMB offers a major operational advantage in being able to deal with the swarming FIAC (Fast Inshore Attack Craft) threats. The Eurofighter Typhoon equipped with DMB has a distinct advantage over helicopters as it can rapidly confront a threat which could be engaged asymmetrically optimising the effectiveness. Significantly, DMB has been used with the Litening pod designator which is already in service with the IAF. As for Deep Strike operations, MBDA has two cruise missiles to offer for the MMRCA programme. Taurus KEPD 350 for the Eurofighter Typhoon and Gripen and SCALP/Storm Shadow for the Rafale. Both weapon systems are in service and have proven their unerring and unmatched ability to fulfil and indeed exceed the requirements stipulated by the IAF in terms of range, target effect and CEP (Circular Error Probable). For ALH DHRUV and LCH helicopters, MBDA is offering PARS 3. This fire and forget system developed for Germany ’s Tiger helicopter is capable of targeting and defeating a wide range of mobile and stationary ground targets from latest generation armour-protected vehicles to bunkers with pinpoint accuracy. 

For pilot safety, the missiles, once launched, navigate autonomously to their respective targets without requiring further input from the gunner thereby allowing the helicopter to quit its position should there be a danger. Pars 3 on the Tiger features a four-missile launcher. However, India prefers a twin variant and in this respect MBDA has been sourcing an Indian defence industry partner to develop this alternative design. India has asked for trials of the system. With these trials due soon, Aero India will be an important shop window for this system. For MRH HELICOPTER, MBDA is offering MARTE ER. Marte ER has already been integrated and qualified on the medium- range NH90 helicopter. Marte ER adds a turbo-engine motor that takes the missile’s range out to over 100km. With India actively looking for a MRH (medium range helicopter) capabilities, Marte ER should bea major talking point during the show.

MBDA is also offering ASRAAM for JAGUAR Upgrade. The Jaguars of the IAF are undergoing upgrades to extend their life through to the end of the decade. An important part of this upgrade will depend on the choice of self-protection air-to-air missiles to replace the currently deployed R550 Magic. There is space for only one such weapon on the Jaguar’s overwing station and MBDA ’s ASRAAM (already in service with the UK and Australian air forces) would provide an optimum solution given its ability to provide short to medium range protection passively. Overwing pylons call for quick missile separation to avoid contact with the aircraft ’s wing. ASRAAM is the fastest, lowest drag SRAAM weapon on the market. This speed not only provides safe separation, it also guarantees “first shot first kill ” to avoid getting involved in a dogfight. As the Jaguar is a low-flying aircraft, a threat could well come from a higher altitude. ASRAAM again offers a major advantage here in its unmatched “snap-up” capability, the missile’s ability to rapidly divert upwards once fired. MBDA will also be promoting its Fire Shadow loitering munitions, the family of Exocetanti-ship weapons as well as Europe’s most significant anti- air defence missile development, namely Aster. Similarly the Milan anti-armour weapon (produced by BDL) will
be on display as evidence of over 30 years of industrial partnership between MBDA and India.

Russia To Pay $2Billion For French Mistral Warships

Russia will pay France 1.37 billion euros ($1.81 billion) for two Mistral-class assault warships that Moscow agreed to purchase from the NATO member last week, news reports said Dec. 30.

“The first ship will cost 720 million euros and the second 650 million euros,” the RIA Novosti news agencies cited a source close to the negotiations as saying.

The deal, which involves joint construction of the vessels, is the first sale to Russia of such naval high-tech by a NATO country.

It has been condemned by Alliance members from the three Baltic nations, with leaked cables showing that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates also raised the issue while on a visit to Paris this year.

The helicopter carrier costs about 500 million euros ($650 million) and it was not immediately clear why Russia was paying a premium.

Moscow had sought to purchase the craft together with their sensitive equipment and the December 24 announcement in Paris made no mention of whether Russia had got its way.

The source close to the negotiation said Moscow was paying a higher price for the first craft because most of it would be produced in France, with Russia’s share in the project growing by the second vessel.

“If Russia’s share of construction on the first ship is 20 percent, it may reach up to 40 percent for the second ship,” the source told RIA Novosti.

The source said the third and fourth ships would be fully manufactured in Russia as per agreement, but gave no time frame of when the craft would be built.

A Mistral-class ship can carry up to 16 helicopters, four landing craft, 13 battle tanks, around 100 other vehicles and a 450-strong force. It has facilities for a full command staff and is equipped with a 69-bed hospital.

France Ready To Transfer Warship Technology to Russia: PM

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on a visit to Moscow on Thursday that France was ready to transfer military technology if it won a tender to supply Russia with Mistral warships.

  "There is no question about the technology transfer, no problem regarding technology transfers," Fillon said at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Russia had been in exclusive talks with France to buy two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships but in August the defence ministry announced an international tender.

Putin stressed that the price and the possibility of technology transfer to allow Russia to subsequently learn to build its own warships of the same class, would be key criteria in Russia's choice.




"The price is important. Russia is also interested in technology transfers. This is important for our ship building," Putin said.

Fillon complained jokingly that Putin was a hard bargainer in price negotiations.


"We are discussing the price and Vladimir Putin is not the easiest person to talk to about this question," he said.

Over several months, talks with Moscow have stalled on the question of technology transfer.

France has been negotiating with Russia since 2009 on a possible deal to sell Moscow the Mistral, a powerful warship capable of carrying helicopters and tanks, costing around 500 million euros.

If agreed, the deal would be the first sale to Russia of such technology by a NATO country and France's NATO allies have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.


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Update On Mirage 2000 Upgrade Deal with the IAF

   

French President Nicholas Sarkozy may miss signing of the Mirage 2000upgrade deal with the Indian Air Force (IAF) during his visit to India.While officially, “negotiations are still going on”, according India’ssenior foreign ministry officials, the reason for the delay seems to bethat the high cost of upgrading the fighters is causing a rethink.

      The costof upgrading the 51 fighters is working out to an average of Euro 45million per piece which is well over the price of acquiring a newgeneration fighter such as the Rafale or F-16 which is around Euro30million-35 million. India is seeking to upgrade the fighters withBeyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities, Look-down, shoot-downcapabilities, Advanced Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) andMulti-target, multi-shoot capabilities.

      The total cost isaround Euro 2.4 billion of which work worth Euro 1.5 billon will bedirectly with the French company Dassault and the rest for work doneand equipment supplied by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

      Incomparison, India signed a similar upgrade contract for 62 MiG-29fighters in 2008 for around $850 million which works to $13.71 million(Euro 10.28 million approximately) per fighter.

      Further,the bulk of the IAF Mirage 2000 fleet was acquired in 1986-87 whichmakes it over 20 year old. The upgradation process is expected to take7-9 year and residual life of the airframe after the upgrade will beabout 15-10 years. A new fighter instead will have a life of 30 plusyears.

 

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U.K.-France Joint Weapon Development Plans

A 10-year strategic plan for complex weapon development and anew unmanned air vehicle joint venture are among the industrialhighlights of two defense treaties announced by Britain and France at asummit meeting here Nov. 2 between U.K. Prime Minister David Cameronand French President Nicolas Sarkozy.


The treaty on defense and security cooperation covers a series ofpotential air and sea equipment programs, as well as an operationalalliance involving the sharing of aircraft carrier capabilities and thecreation of a joint expeditionary force.


A second treaty covers cooperation in the testing of nuclear warheadsfor safety and reliability at facilities in the U.K. and France.

The two sides have been partners on several projects in the past, butthe new deal potentially brings industrial and nuclear cooperation toan unprecedented level.

Cameron said the agreement was "big, bold and radical … and shows a level of trust never equaled in our history."

The British prime minister said the agreement was "practical and hard-headed cooperation between two sovereign countries."
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MBDA Settles FREMM Frigate Missile Specifications

French industry has locked down the missile specifications of an airdefense model of the FREMM multimission frigate in talks with Greeceand is embarking on negotiations on industrial cooperation, industryexecutives said.

Despite thebudgetary crisis assailing Athens, industry executives hope the GreekNavy will sign for the FREMM warship in 2012. Talks have centered on anorder for four ships and options for two more.

Missile maker MBDA would supply a total 56 surface to air missiles on the air defense frigate proposed to the Greek authorities.

Inthe configuration proposed, the long range Aster 30 missiles would behoused in three Sylver A50 launchers and a Sylver A70 launcher in thefront of the ship, Stéphane Bertuzzi, MBDA head of naval systems toldjournalists here. In addition, the vertical launch Mica missile wouldbe housed in six Sylver A35 launchers at the rear.

"This is what we've proposed to the Greek Navy," Bertuzzi said.

Inthe French Navy anti-submarine warfare version of the FREMM, the A70launcher would be used for the Scalp cruise missile, giving a deepstrike capability of 1,000 kilometers.

MBDA builds the Aster andMica missiles, while DCNS builds the Sylver launchers. Thales buildsthe seekers in the missiles as well as the Herakles 3D radar andArtemis infrared search and track sensor which are used to cue theweapons. 

The missile company has found it hard going to sellthe Aster 30 missile in export markets, encountering price resistance."Customers are asking for the Aster 30 but they can only afford the VLMica," an executive said.

A French Navy officer on board theChevalier Paul air defense destroyer said Greek Navy officers recentlyvisited the Horizon class warship and were impressed by itscapabilities. "They said they wanted this ship for the same price asthe FREMM," the officer said. 

Discussions with the Greekauthorities on the FREMM are held every two weeks and are led by theDirection Générale de l'Armement (DGA) procurement office. "Everythingis on track," a DCNS official told journalists here ahead of theEuronaval trade show which opens Oct. 25.

French executivesbelieve the budgetary and political situation in Greece may have calmeddown in 2012, and the need to maintain employment in local shipyardswill help the government to sign a contract for the warships. 

Thetalks on industrial cooperation are key as Greece expects to obtain ahigh level of local assembly of the FREMM frigate in domestic yards, anindustry executive said.

Italy, which had been in the running tooffer its version of the FREMM, is understood to have bowed out of thecompetition, ceding the ground to the French.

DCNS has 12 FREMMships on the orderbooks, 11 for the French Navy, down from an initialplanned 17-ship buy, while Morocco has bought one FREMM.

Thecompany five years ago invested 15 million euros in adding toproduction facilities here in anticipation of the full build out of the17 French ships. DCNS has slowed production to one ship per 10 monthsinstead of seven months but can pick up the rate to one every sevenmonths if export orders are won. 

Exports of the FREMM areneeded to make up for the cancellations in the national program. Franceis also trying to sell the frigate to Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

TheMoroccan FREMM is based on the French Navy's version, with littlemodification, but is widely seen as a consolation prize for Paris afterRabat bought the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter instead of the Rafalefrom Dassault Aviation. 

DCNS launched April 29 the first ofclass Aquitaine and has started building the Normandie, the second inthe series for the French Navy. 

President Nicolas Sarkozyvisited the Aquitaine here in May and departed from a prepared speechto describe himself as a member of the DCNS sales team as he insistedon the importance of France maintaining an industrial manufacturingcapability.

The focus on the industrial and commercial sidediscomfited the senior Navy officers present as they saw that asundercutting the president's status as commander in chief and thesignificance to the service of the Aquitaine as the first of class in anew generation of warships.

EU Remains Divided On Lifting China Arms Embargo

Europe remains divided on whether to lift an arms embargoclamped on China in 1989 following events in Tiananmen Square, EUforeign ministers said Sept. 11.

"Wediscussed delivering arms to China but did not advance at all towards asolution or joint position", French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchnersaid at the close of two days of informal talks with his 26 EUcounterparts.


France has long been favorable" to ending the embargo, he said. "But we need a joint stand."
HisLuxembourg counterpart, Jean Asselborn, said he was "disappointed" atthe division. "We're not yet ready to do this, which I sincerelyregret."

"We could've offered an exchange: we raise the embargo and you ratify the convention on civil and political rights," he added.

Adocument examined by the ministers that was obtained by AFP raised theidea of lifting the embargo against conditions, such as improved tieswith Taiwan, an amnesty for arrests linked to events at Tiananmen, anda calendar for the ratification of the rights treaty.
Source Here

French, U.S. Procurement Chiefs Discussed Predator

The head of the DGA    flew July 2 to the UnitedStates to meet  executivesof General Atomics to gather information about the Predator B drone, aDGA official said.

 
The meeting with General Atomics was intended to provide informationon the Predator B, also known as the MQ-9 Reaper, which France isconsidering buying to meet a requirement for a medium-altitude,long-endurance (MALE) surveillance drone for Afghanistan.

DefenseMinister Hervé Morin told Reuters on Sept. 1 on the margins of aconference of the MEDEF employers organization that a decision would betaken in the autumn on acquiring a MALE UAV.
The Predator systemis seen as fitting the 600 million euro ($766.8 million) budget andcosting less than the Talarion Advanced UAV from EADS and the rival SDMproposed by Thales and Dassault Aviation.

EADS continues to fundits own work on the Talarion in the hopes France, Germany and Spainwill commit to development of the Advanced UAV program.

Thales and Dassault, meanwhile, hope France and Spain will pick their SDM, which is based on the Israeli-built Heron TP UAV.
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UK, France Refuted Reports Of Joint Use Of Carriers

On Sept 5 French and British defense ministers officially refutedpreviously emerged reports that France and the UK planned to use theiraircraft carriers jointly, informs AFP.

Herve Morin and Liam Fox said that project was "absolutely unreal". Atthe same time, the ministers pointed out that in future the joint useof military transport aircrafts A400M would not improbable.

The information of possible co-operative use of three aircraft carriers was published in The Times on Sept 1. The question was British carriers HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious, and French one Charles de Gaulle.
It was reported that France and the UK were about to keep carriers onstation, increase combat readiness of their navies, and at the sametime reduce expenses.

The parties allegedly planned to coordinate maintenance dates ofaircraft carriers in such a way that at least one of them wouldpermanently stand by when urgent reaction was needed. The Timesalso reported of special protocols regulating behavior of the partieswhile contingency situations – for instance, when during French patrolexclusively Britain's interests would be under threat and vice versa.

Numerous British experts criticized this initiative having noted thatthe UK was making itself subordinate to France what might bedetrimental to Britain's interests. An undisclosed source in Britishdefense ministry said to The Daily Mail that the UK might be at risk to plunge into a difficulty when deciding to deploy French carrier and France would oppose.

Two French soldiers killed in Afghanistan

PARIS, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two French soldiers were killed and threeothers wounded in a military operation in Afghanistan, said FrenchPresident Nicolas Sarkozy's office on Monday, raising the country'stotal fatalities in Afghanistan to 47.
　　The two dead were a soldier and an officer from the 21st MarineInfantry Regiment. They were fatally wounded by gun fire during anovernight operation in Tagab, north of Kabul, while three others wereinjured at the start of the operation.
　　"These soldiers gave their lives in the service of France'scommitment to the peace and security of the Afghan people," Sarkozysaid in a statement.
　　The French president condemned "insurgents' murderous attacks" onNATO military forces in Afghanistan, stressing France would continue tobe a part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force(ISAF).
　　About 3,500 French troops are deployed in Afghanistan.

Dassault’s Rafale Back in Indian Fighter Race

he Times of India reported onMay 22 that the Dassault Rafale is back in the race for an Indiangovernment contract to build 126 new medium multirole combat aircraft for the country's Air Force.The paper said that the Rafale had been booted out of thecompetition to supply the jets by the Indian Defence Ministry afterDassault failed to respond properly in its technical bid toward theGSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) drawn up by the IAF. Thepaper then quoted an unnamed Defense Ministry official stating thatDassault had since supplied missing information and that the Rafalewould now participate in IAF field trials of the competitors.
There will be two sets of field trials, according to The Times. Thefirst set is scheduled for July and August and the second in the winterof 2009-2010. The aircraft will be flown in the mountainous region ofLeh, the hot Rajasthan desert, and the humid region around Bangalore.
After field trials the field of six fighters- the Rafale, the Lockheed Martin F-16, the Boeing F/A-18, Saab's Gripen, the RAC MiG MiG-35, and the Eurofighter Typhoon- will be winnowed down to a short list of three aircraft. Commercialbids by the three remaining candidates will then be opened andevaluated. The IAF would like the aircraft to be delivered by2012-2013, but the evaluation and bidding process is expected to take aminimum of two years. Under the circumstances, a contract cannot beexpected before 2011.
UAE Considering Rafale Jet Fighters
ABU DHABI, UAEs --- According to UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan, discussions between the UAE and Franceabout the possible Emirati purchase of the new generation French Rafalejet fighter are moving ahead. Officials from the UAE made hints in 2008that the tiny Gulf state was considering the acquisition of Rafalefighters as a solution for the replacement of its 60 French-built Mirage combat aircraft. Such a deal is believed to be valued between EUR6-8 billion ($8-11 billion).
France, along with the U.S., is one of the UAE's key arms suppliers.One snag in the potential sale of the Rafale to the UAE for the Frenchis that any deal is likely to be precluded by the demand that Franceeither take back theMirage 2000-9 jets or find a suitable buyer on theglobal market. France, still seeking an export market for its DassaultAviation aircraft, might settle for buying back the surplus Mirages inorder to achieve the sale.

USC could built Mistral once the technology is available

Shipyards of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) are capable to build Mistral-typecarrier after obtaining specific technologies from France; however,selection of certain shipyard will be made upon receipt of applicationfrom Russian defense ministry, said Vice Premier Igor Sechin, topdirector of USC behind the scenes of St. Petersburg InternationalEconomic Forum.

"United Shipbuilding Corporation and Russian shipyard participating innegotiations are basically capable to execute the order of defenseministry [to build the helicopter carrier] once such order is placed",Sechin said having added that the ministry had not set the task so far.

According to him, it is necessary to comprehend which details areessential for the defense ministry to be implemented in the project;afterwards, Russian shipyards will be assessed whether they are capableto take part in the project. As for Sechin, an option is also possiblethat "adequate foreign partner" (probably, French one) would beinvolved.

"Once we have a task from defense ministry it would be clear what theyneed. So we could react adequately – either execute by ourselves orcall upon partners", concluded Sechin.

Details of New Japanese ‘Helicopter Destroyer

TOKYO: Rumors that the JapanMaritime Self-Defense Force's third "aircraft carrying destroyer" wouldmark a major improvement in size and capability over the Hyuga classships now entering service have been confirmed.
The new 22DDH will be 248 meters long and 39 meters in beam, anddisplace more than 24,000 tons. This makes her almost 50 percent largerthan the Hyuga class and places an unbearable semantic strain on theuse of the term "destroyer" to describe these ships. To put the size of the ship into context, she is comparable with a World War II Essex-class fleet carrier.

Illustrations of the 22DDH show her to be a full-fledged helicopter carrier with no real destroyer characteristics. The superstructure is very similar to that of theHyuga class with the difference that the 01 deck is extended forward,probably to accommodate a vertical launch silo for air defensemissiles. The point defensesof the new ships are more than doubled,with three Phalanx Mk 15 mountings and two RAM launchers replacing thepair of Phalanx mounts on the older ship. Significantly, while oneof the Phalanx mounts on the Hyuga is situated forward on the flight deck, and thus obstructs fixed-wing operations, the 22DDH has all of its mounts located on sponsons clear of the flight deck itself.
The flight deck layout on the 22DDH differs significantly from that of the Hyuga class. One of the lifts has been moved from the centerline to the deck-edge position. The added width of the flight deck has been used to shift the axis of air operations clear of the remaining centerline elevator. The number of munitions elevators feeding the flight deck has been increased from two to four.
A vertical launch silo built into the rear of the flight deck on the Hyuga has been removed, once again reducing obstructions to flight operations. Flight deck operations capacity has been increased from two to seven helicopters.
Japanese accounts suggest that one of the reasons for the drastic increase in size of the 22DDH design is a planned shift to the V-22 Osprey as the primary air groupelement for these ships. It is not clear whether these would bereplacements for or supplemental to the SH-60Ks that equip the Hyugaclass. These accounts also make it clear that the F-35B short takeoffand vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is seen as a key system for these ships. Apparently, provision for the operation of UAVs is being included within the design.

Sigma 30 Artillery Navigation And Pointing System Deployed

France: Developed and produced by Sagem, the Sigma 30 is a laser gyro land navigation and pointing system for artillery pieces, enabling highly accurate firing on short notice.
Sagem has also set up a maintenance shop near New Delhi to help the Indian army keep its Sigma 30 systems in fighting trim. Indian mechanics received specialized training for this system in both France and India.
The Defense R and D Organisation, part of the Indian Ministry of Defence, originally chose the Sigma 30system in 2008. They were installed by Larsen and Toubro and Tata PowerCompany, the two Indian companies in charge of integrating the PinakaMLRS.
The Sigma 30 pointing system has been proven in combat on a Caesar155 mm gun. It is also used with NATO's Mars MLRS and the 2R2M 120 mmmobile mortar, within the scope of a modernization program. In addition, the Sigma 30 has been qualified on the Archer, Donar, PZH 2000 and FH 77 B05 155 mm guns.
Artillery systems by Sagem, now deployed by 20 armed forcesworldwide, cover a wide range of state-of-the-art applications,including advanced observation systems, optronic sensors, navigation and pointing systems, fire control, computers, digital mapping, systems integration.