Rafale: "No gift by the State to Dassault Aviation"
INTERVIEW - Charles Edelstenne, CEO of Dassault Aviation, says the French fighter meets a need expressed by the staffs of the army and the cost of the program was under control...
...Specifically, what is your export market and how to explain
these failures?
The traditional market of French combat aircraft consists of countries that do not want to buy American aircraft or countries who want a double source. Competitions were held in South Korea, Singapore and the Netherlands. In these countries, the air forces were now only equipped with American planes. These countries have always had very close ties with the United States, for geostrategic reasons with respect to Korea or Singapore. For reasons of comfort in the Netherlands, a founding member of the European Union, but fierce supporter of the American preference for what is their combat aviation, remember the market of the century! We may have erred in taking part in these early competitions, where our chances were, from the start, rather limited. But if we did not, nobody would have understood. Each time, we removed the EF2000 and we ended up in the final against American planes...
...Specifically, where did you export your prospects?
The three files are the most advanced Arab Emirates, India and Brazil. Let's start with the UAE. Since 2008 we are in negotiations with that country. The UAE is a client partner who has always called upon to do better. Negotiations are continuing and the company is working to develop local partnerships, if the case ended Rafale, should strengthen the strategic relationship between our two countries on the basis of an industrial and technological cooperation extended around the Rafale.
In India, we are in the final stages against the EF2000 EADS. I will not comment on those negotiations, but I want to emphasize the interest that Dassault Aviation is in the client history of French aviation combat. We are committed to addressing the concerns of independence and sovereignty of the Indians, who want to build an industrial base already very efficient.
Finally, in Brazil, the voluntarism of the French president has the Rafale to be considered at the highest level by the Brazilian authorities. President Rousseff decided to freeze the procurement process in light of the global economic situation. We expect the resumption of the competition for 2012. We do of course not remain inactive and we again, because this is the ambition of the Brazilian authorities, multiplied agreements and technology partnerships, academia and industry to ensure our Brazilian officials will fully transfer the know- how and technologies that ensure the strengthening of Brazil's sovereignty over its air force.
What about the Swiss decision?
The military authorities Helvetian, through a rigorous process of assessment, have acclaimed the Rafale for the adequacy of its performance in terms of their business need. Moreover, the report published in the Swiss press emphasizes the rule of Rafale in its two competitors. The Federal Council has announced that he makes his choice to the Gripen NG, the lowest ranked of the three planes in the running. But the choice of a fighter is always a political decision that takes into account the quality of bilateral relations. Or these, you know, are not looking good right now ... [/B]
