France Defence and Security Report Q4 2008

In midSeptember, France asked its European allies in Afghanistan to relax restrictions on troop deployments (known as 'national caveats'), signalling the Paris government's desire for more proactive positioning in the war against Taleban forces. The appeal came only a month after 10 French soldiers were killed in a Taleban ambush. The incident sparked a debate in the French press, with calls for the country to end its military involvement in Afghanistan. Despite this, the government has reaffirmed its commitment. There are a total of 3,300 French troops in the NATOled International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

During a visit to Australia, which also has troops in ISAF, French Defence Minister Herv Morin said the restrictions on the deployment of European forces, together with what he described as years of military under spending in Europe outside of France and the UK, were damaging the coalition war effort. 'Most of Europe has made NATO responsible for their security. Therefore, the weakness of Europe is typified by what you see in Afghanistan,' the Minister said. Allied forces in Afghanistan suffered particularly heavy casualties in August, with 43 dead, including the 10 French soldiers who died on August 18. Both France and Australia, which maintains 1,000 troops in Afghanistan felt that the national caveats were preventing 'the best possible application of the forces,' Morin said. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has in the past likened the situation to a chess game in which one side could only move a single space in a single direction, while the other had complete freedom of movement. Both the US and Australia have argued for taking the battle to the Taleban's mountain strongholds. France has said it is considering sending special forces troops back to Afghanistan.

France's defence industry represents a significant part of the French economy: 2004 figures show it is worth EUR15bn in terms of orders per annum and EUR34bn in terms of exports per annum. Approximately 180,000 people are employed directly by the industry. The industry has been undergoing significant restructuring and consolidation. In 2005, the government privatised the largest French maritime defence organisation, Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN), since renamed DCNS, which is now partowned by Thales. This was part of a policy through which the state hopes to exercise greater influence over the defence industry by assuming the role of customer, rather than a stakeholder with no voting power. Further consolidation of Europe's 'big four' Thales, EADS, Finmeccanica and BAE Systems may be necessary in the future. In the third quarter of 2007, the government reached a deal with Germany to streamline the cumbersome 'double key' management of EADS and Airbus, but it remains to be seen whether political tensions between the two major stakeholders will now take a back seat.

France ranks among the world's top five arms exporters. The country was the third largest supplier in the 19992005 period, with 7% of global deliveries. However, the sustainability of this position is not assured in the face of renewed competition by manufacturers from the US and Russia. France has signed strategic cooperative accords with three Arab countries, including Libya, which could open up the door to future major arms deals.

France is one of Western Europe's most stable and secure countries. Centuries of democratic experience allow it to steer a safe course through any political unrest. Its foreign policies especially its propensity to take distance from those of the US dictate that it is far from being the most threatened of states in the region. Furthermore, its wellestablished defence industry works effectively, both independently and in partnership with France's allies, to ensure that the Republic's armed forces are more than capable of defending France's national interests, with surplus equipment available to propel a thriving arms trade across the world.