France Defence and Security Report Q1 2013

BMI’s France Defence & Security Report examines the country’s strategic posture, its defencecommunity, order of battle, and current and future procurement programmes.

The report examines the current structure of the French armed forces. It evaluates ongoing defence reforminitiatives and examines the position of France in NATO, and its defence commitments around the world.In addition, it discusses the French defence industry and its performance both in home and internationalmarkets.

A central focus of BMI’s France Defence and Security Report is the feasibility of the country maintainingits high levels of defence spending vis-à-vis its high levels of public debt.

The report outlines several key findings. These include the overriding need for France to continue is fastpacedmilitary reforms to improve the country’s ability to intervene in crises around the world. It assertsthat French defence companies continue to offer high quality material, and that French contractors arenow emerging as the sellers of choice in markets around the world. Moreover, the report examinesFrance’s continuing deployment to Afghanistan, along with the recent leading role it played duringNATO combat operations in Libya in 2011. Beyond these issues, the report studies French defencespending, and the country’s desire to maintain spending levels above the two percent of GDP goal ofNATO.

Several key changes have been made to the Q113 BMI France Defence and Security report. Chiefly theserelate to discussions of the following subjects:

An updated order of battle for France’s army, air force and navy.

Details regarding ongoing defence modernisation efforts as regards orders of battle andprocurement across France’s three services.

Updates regarding defence procurement activity during Q113 vis-à-vis the French Army, AirForce and Navy.