Jean-Yves Le Drian has finally lost his bet. According to the report to Parliament in 2017 on export of arms, France was saved in 2016 for a little less than 14 billion euros of orders for weapons systems, instead of more than $ 20 billion as the former Defence minister had unwisely announced in the beginning of the year. The Tribune had estimated in march last the amount of orders in 2016 around € 14 billion. The year 2016, however, remains to be an excellent year for the arms industry French behind the summit himalayan 2015 (€16.9 billion).
“With $ 14 billion of orders in 2016, the team France confirms its effectiveness for fostering international expertise and the French savoir-faire”, has confirmed the ministry of the Armed forces. “While France produced 4 to 7 billion euros of orders before 2014, the year 2016 confirms the successful export, with 14 billion euros of orders, which are in the order of magnitude of the year 2015”, said the ministry.
In parallel, the deliveries of military equipment to the French rise. They have now reached 7.1 billion euros in 2016 (compared to $ 6.2 billion in 2015, $ 4 billion in 2014, $ 3.8 billion in 2013 and, finally, $ 3.3 billion in 2012). France has in particular delivered in 2016 of arms for 1.3 billion euros to Egypt and 954,3 million euros to India.
Loyal customers in France
Last year, it is India who has fired up exports of French weapons, with the signing of the contract for the sale of 36 combat aircraft Rafale made by Dassault Aviation (7,87 billion euros). In total, New Delhi was purchased for 7,99 billion euros in France in 2016. Behind India, far behind Saudi Arabia (764,4 million euros), in spite of its many broken promises and mistakes of France, and Singapore (646,6 million), ahead by a whisker in Egypt (623,9 million euros), completed the podium in 2016.
The first four countries in 2016 remain regular and loyal customers in France. Over the period 2007-2016, India is actually the first customer of the armaments industry French, according to the classification of the report to Parliament in 2017 on export of arms. It is followed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and, finally, Brazil. Singapore ranks eighth. In 2016, Singapore has inter alia ordered 16 helicopters Caracal to Airbus for an amount estimated at 500 million euros), while Egypt offered a satellite telecoms military for an amount estimated at about 600 million euros (Airbus and Thales).
