France would like the U.S. to make up its mind on a tanker aircraft so they can plan renewal of their own aerial refueling fleet with 14-15 new aircraft, says a senior French official.
In addition, the French Air Force has made modernizing its airborne and seaborne intelligence fleets a new strategic priority, notes French Air Force Major Gen. Gratien Maire, defense attaché to Washington. Some of the effects of advanced intelligence data fusion using ships, aircraft and UAVs have already been seen it the military’s recent handling of abductions by Somali pirates.
While the French government does not think it is being asked to give the U.S. more than it gets in return, the veteran pilot does point out that the defense trade balance between Europe and the U.S. is 4-to-1 in America’s favor. In particular the French Air Force “needs new [aerial refueling] equipment,” he says. And while France plans a competition for at least 14 tankers, if the U.S. Air Force were to choose the Northrop Grumman/EADS tanker candidate it would be an easier sell for the French politically, cut acquisition costs and ensure that the fighter and tanker fleets of both countries are completely interoperable.
While “we [also] still want competition,” because of the difference in acquisition processes “cooperation is necessary” between U.S. and French governments and military forces to ensure compatible tanker programs. France is also looking at the British model of letting industry help finance a tanker fleet. However, he points out that right now there is no specific schedule for the program.
Interoperability also extends to intelligence gathering and fusion.
The last White Paper on French strategic defense plans added a new strategic function to improve “knowledge and anticipation” of future problems through broad improvements in “all-spectrum intelligence,” Maire says. “The most difficult part is fusion [of] humint, comint, sigint and imagery.” The results of that 20 month-old reorientation of strategic capabilities is reflected in France’s deterrence of “a significant number of pirates” after being “among the first countries to begin surveillance of the Somali coast” with a flotilla of 5-6 ships and land-based aircraft.
Credit: Northrop Grumman.
