France, the world's second-largest arms exporter
Despite a complicated global economic context, France is still the second-largest arms exporter. It is recording very strong export successes, as shown by the recent successes of Dassault and Naval Group.
France has replaced Russia in the global hierarchy of arms sellers.
In 2022, France sold €27 billion worth of weapons systems, including 80 Rafales to the United Arab Emirates. The year 2023 saw a decrease in arms sales. However, they were still based on Indonesia's order of 18 Rafale aircraft worth €2.6 billion. Saudi Arabia and India remain on the podium of the best customers of the French defense industry.
In 2024, Sébastien Lecornu, the Minister of the Armed Forces, indicated: "This year is the second-best year of our sales with over €18 billion ordered, of which nearly 10 billion concern Rafale aircraft and submarines."
Global security in question
Over the last ten years, global security has indeed deteriorated with the emergence of major armed conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan. Military spending has increased and reached absolute records. Even more serious, a worrying confrontation has developed between the major powers, whereas nuclear arms control had been established for some sixty years.
In Europe, over the last five years, arms imports have jumped by 94%, intensified by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the planet is rearming intensely, with a 10% global increase in defense spending in 2023, representing a record figure of €2,200 billion.
A strategic return to the Indo-Pacific region
On the other hand, we are seeing a return of France to the Indo-Pacific region. An area characterized by its maritime dimension, the planet's center of gravity organized around Southeast Asia, which accounts for 60% of global GDP and 4.5 billion inhabitants. This is despite the AUKUS episode and the submarine crisis where France was supposed to sell to Australia.
"Indonesia lends credibility, if any were needed, to France's Indo-Pacific strategy," emphasized Hervé Grandjean, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Armed Forces. A credibility, after Australia's betrayal, which was confirmed by Indonesia by selecting Naval Group for the acquisition of two Scorpène submarines. For the French group, the list of export successes for the Scorpène submarine is growing, as it has also sold 6 to India, 4 to Brazil, 2 to Chile, and 2 to Malaysia. The sale of 42 Rafales to France is another great success. And for this French group, other successes are predicted in 2025 with its upcoming installation in Provence, more precisely in La Londe-les-Maures.
Bernard Bertucco Van Damme