The commitments of Marine Le Pen for civil and military aeronautics
Marine Le Pen qualifies for the second round of the presidential election with 21.7% of the votes .. © Marine Le Pen
Discover in full the answers of Jérôme Riviere - Former MP - Advocate counselor - Defense Counselor of Marine Le Pen to the very precise Air & Cosmos questionnaire.
1) Marine Le Pen pledges to raise the defense budget to 2% of GDP at the beginning of the five-year period with the 3% target in 2022. How will this acceleration be financed?
A first word on the current situation, if the armies are on the brink of decommissioning, in a state of exhaustion and impoverishment advanced that everyone finally recognizes, is precisely because of the policy conducted by candidates self - Reasonable and serious in terms of public finance management, namely François Fillon, Prime Minister from 2007 to 2012 and Emmanuel Macron, Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2016. We must stop, as too many commentators, That only their programs are reasonable and fundable. On the contrary, these programs, which reproduce policies that have been going on for more than a decade, have led to the current precariousness of our defense system, both operationally and humanly, materially and industrially. I note that, Other than their own advisers say nothing else, the effort they recommend is far superior to that displayed by their candidates. The specialists around François Fillon, for example, advised him 2% as early as 2020, but as when he was in Matignon, he did not listen to them.
A massive financial rearmament and brutal in terms of timing, is necessary to avoid the collapse.
How to finance it? First of all by budgetary appropriations! MM. Fillon and Macron have always used mercenary resources (radio frequencies, auction sales of our cultural heritage, etc.), mercenary resources that have rarely been there. Their inclusion in the national defense effort is a dishonest policy vis-à-vis military personnel who risk their lives. These genuine credits must be made available at a sufficient level (2% in 2018 and then by 3% in 2022) by redefining the State's priorities, halting gabegies and abolishing countless observatories, State and state strategic strategist. The resulting savings will go first to the armed forces. Finally, the important thing for a budget is its good execution. To avoid once again the budget of the Ministry of National Defense serving as a variable of adjustment, Marine Le Pen clearly indicated that it involved this effort of an important guarantee: the modification of the Constitution so that the effort Constitutionally out of the reach of any budgetary regulation. This will put an end to two congenital defects in the LPM: their initial underfunding and their non-performance.
In saying this, Marine Le Pen is simply registering its recovery program in the general movement that has seized not only Europe, but also China, the United States and Russia. Rearming or being downgraded, this is the alternative available to candidates. We have chosen rearmament through rearmament.
2) What will be the main axes of effort in the field of capability, in particular in the aeronautical field?
The first ability is "to be and to last". Our armies must be densified to last on one or more theaters of operations. Today, armies have surpassed their operational contracts by 30% with means (VAB, transport aircraft) falling sharply. Our priority will therefore be to increase the strength of 50,000 men for the armed forces in order to regain the potential that MM. Fillon and Macron scratched to the bone. It will be up to the staffs to propose the assignments of these recruitments, but we will be vigilant on the micro-populations (air commandos, insufficient numbers, mechanics, etc.) which are the wealth of our armies.
Second, we attach great importance to the airborne component of deterrence. Its renewal should be an opportunity to explore new technological frontiers for the Rafale combat aircraft as well as for the equipment and associated equipment. This R & T effort, which will strengthen our capabilities in key areas such as stealth and hyper-velocity, is essential, which is why Marine Le Pen plans to double the research budget.
In addition, France must continue to have the key capabilities that make it an independent and effective military power. The first of these is the ability to have independent intelligence. I think of the classical trio which combines special forces (which presupposes their mobility, notably the supply of helicopters), satellites (with the continuation of existing programs to replace current generations), and drones (acceleration of the drone program in European cooperation) . Second ability, strikes deep enemy devices hardened while having superiority overhead. We are in favor of resuming orders for Rafale (Tranches 4 and 5), the evolution of the weapons aircraft (standard F4 and studies of a heavy Rafale). We are also in favor of the prompt execution of the missile roadmap with the United Kingdom and the continuation of the national effort in this sector (MICA NG, in particular). The projection of the troops, third capacity, is unsatisfactory. The A400M program is a symbol of the failures of European cooperation, for lack of good program management. These failures now force the Air Force to order C-130Js. I would like to remind you that the TRANSALL program had been a success, without industrial fusion, thanks to a thorough harmonization of the needs of the German and French air forces. I also note that even with the A400M, strategic transport requirements will not be fully met. We need to find lasting and lasting solutions with Russia in this key segment rather than rent Antonov 124 to suspicious companies through suspicious intermediaries. I propose to buy them directly from Russia by providing technical and after-sales guarantees that the DGA will have to negotiate.
Finally, protecting our projected troops will require reviewing the aircraft's armor, self-protection and the bubble provided by the multi-layered air-to-air defense from the Mistral to the Aster Block 1 NT.
3) The French armies are currently heavily monopolized by operations, well beyond the scenarios envisaged by the White Paper. Can this rhythm be preserved?
The answer is clearly no, less owing to the overrun of the operational contracts provided for in the white papers, than to a change in foreign policy. The French army is not destined to be the gendarme of a Europe which assumes its security only by French proxy in Africa and American on the continent. Nor is it destined to be the suppletive of the United States as it was - and for its misfortune - the British army in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its primary mission is to defend France, that is, all its territories, its maritime approaches, and its EEZ. We are far away! This priority will give rise to specific planning in the future LPM to restore our capacities in France for housing, patrol of maritime approaches, Training and basic equipment. With regard to external operations, which will be decided on the basis of specific criteria (national interest, exit strategy and alliances), it will be necessary to ensure that the army is deployed with solid means: protected vehicles (60% Are not today), opening of tracks, stock of ammunition, etc.
4) Should France launch a program to build a new aircraft carrier? Can we hope, in the long term, to operate two buildings of this type?
The answer is a double yes. It is necessary to have as soon as possible, two aircraft carriers, to ensure the operational permanence and allow the training of pilots on a continuous basis. Marine Le Pen has indicated that studies and the construction of a nuclear aircraft carrier with the capabilities of the Charles de Gaulle will be launched as early as 2017 to allow its commissioning before the next long stop of the latter, thus restoring at most Early permanence. The construction of a second copy will be launched in time to ensure the replacement of Charles de Gaulle as soon as it is withdrawn from active service ie by 2037 / 2040. Emmanuel Macron's proposals to "make study a door -planes during the next quinquennium "or of François Fillon, who does not address the subject,
5) What are the commitments of Marine Le Pen regarding the launch of the fifth production phase of the Dassault Rafale combat aircraft?
The Rafale program is a sovereignty program. Everything will be implemented so that it continues, not only through the controls of the T4 and T5, but also by the technological evolutions that this device allows. The Rafale is at the beginning of his adult age, he has an enormous potential in front of him.
6) The French aerospace and defense sector considers vital the maintenance of the € 1bn budget that the defense ministry devotes to R & T each year. What are the commitments of Marine Le Pen on this subject?
Marine Le Pen's defense program plans to double this R & T effort by € 1.5 billion. In addition to the numerous studies to be launched (deterrence, spatial roadmaps, combat aviation, missiles, radar, etc.) and demonstrators to be developed (nEURon, drone male, etc.) Technology and invest heavily in the future. Every penny of R & T is an investment of sovereignty.
(7) Since 2010, the budget for civil aeronautical research has been divided by three. Marine Le Pen is committed to reverse this trend? If so, in what proportions?
The situation is paradoxical. Indeed if the commercial sector is doing well, beyond this simple snapshot, we worry about two dangerous breaks. The first is the increasing efforts by the private sector and the public sector (DGAC, PIA, etc.). The second is the rise in civil aeronautics R & T in Europe (Germany, United Kingdom) and the decline in ours. At this rate, France also runs the risk of a downgrade on one of the few high-tech, non-delocalizable and highly exporting industrial segments. The national ambition requires raising the civil R & T budget of € 50 million, which is dragging it to € 200 million. When one sees the enormous cost of wind in France, a subsidized, useless method,
8) SMEs in the aerospace and defense sectors are very satisfied with the Research Tax Credit system. Marine Le Pen is committed to maintain and improve this device?
Marine Le Pen plans to maintain the Research Tax Credit system that currently exists, with the difference that it will be oriented towards small and medium-sized businesses. We also want to direct a share of life insurance (about 2%) to venture capital and startups, and to encourage large groups, including those in the defense industry, to set up their own funds in companies Innovations.