CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS
French aviation equipment manufacturers say that, if they do not get a 30-40% rise in research and development (R&D) funding from the government, they will not be able to remain globally competitive.
The call comes as President Jacques Chirac orders a review of France's five-year defence procurement plan (2003-08) set out by its former socialist government. François Lureau, president of the equipment group within French aerospace industry body GIFAS, says his 160 members, which employ 24,000 people, are suffering "from an absolutely colossal investment gap" in military R&D compared with the USA.
"R&D spending for military equipment in Europe has plummeted by 30% over the past five years. The gap is growing with the USA, which spends more than four times the amount we do in upstream military R&D," he says. He adds that funding for civilian R&D has also fallen - by 53% since 2000 - "due to the rise in loans made, essentially for the Airbus A380 programme".
R&D funding for France's aviation industry hit a high of €152 million ($150 million) in 2000, of which €114 million was in government grants, but this year grants are unlikely to top c31.25 million. "It is essential to return to a level of €100 million," Lureau says.
Source: Flight International