INFO FRANCEINFO. France will relocate around twenty military industrial production to be “less dependent”

In the Ukrainian context, Emmanuel Macron called on French arms manufacturers to produce more and faster, a question of sovereignty and credibility on the international scene. Last month, we learned that France was preparing to relocate the production of powder for its artillery shells (155mm). According to our information, in all, there will be about twenty strategic relocations in France.

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In detail, France will therefore once again produce on its territory boat hulls produced until now in Eastern European countries, explosives for large calibers produced in Sweden, Italy or even Germany, but, above all, parts considered “critical” for certain helicopter engines. We are talking here precisely about the discs of the high-pressure turbines of the RTM322 twin-engines. Until now, these parts were developed in the United States and then forged in England. Soon, the elaboration and the forge will be made in France in the Aubert et Duval factory located in the Puy-de-Dôme.

“Producing French” will have a cost

If the project is to be launched this year, production is not expected before early 2025. There is a question of budgets, because this “will cost more” but “we will be less dependent“, we assume at the Ministry of the Armed Forces. This return to French soil of this armament industry is good news for employment, particularly at Aubert and Duval in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. “Producing French” will have Just for these helicopter parts produced in France, the bill should increase by 250,000 euros for the Defense budget each year.

Budgets will therefore have to be further increased. The military programming law is currently under negotiation. Today we are talking about 400 billion euros between 2024 and 2030. There is therefore the question of money, but the French industrial fabric must still be able to meet this new demand. Nothing is less certain on this side. In France, there are difficulties in hiring, but also a loss of know-how and a lack of machines in certain factories. According to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, of the 4,000 French defense industries, at least 200, often SMEs, “nthey wouldn’t be able to increase their pace“.