France’s defence companies boast a high presence at LAAD in Rio de Janeiro

The 2015 venue of the LAAD show which has taken place in Rio de Janeiro from 14 to 17 April has received throngs of professionals and amateurs hailing from the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. South America’s main defence and security show, LAAD singularly witnessed this year an important presence of the French defence industry. Adding to this attendance, the show was privileged to see the participation of Jean-Marc Todeschini, the French Secretary for Defence, chaperoned by several French MPs in charge of defence and diplomacy all of whom showed utmost interest in LAAD.

After walking through the four exhibition halls and meeting with many French companies, like Thales, DCNS, Nexter, Dassault Aviation, Safran, Airbus and famous Joint-ventures like Helibras (Airbus Helicopters) or Avibras (MBDA), including several small businesses very active in Brazil, Mr Todeschini had the opportunity to meet with Jaques Wagner, Brazil’s newly appointed Minister of Defence. In line with a demand from Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister for Defence, the French MPs (Jacques Gautier and Daniel Reiner for the Sénat ; François Loncle, Jean-Michel Villaumé and Christophe Guilloteau for the Assemblée Nationale) were given the chance to discuss freely of any Franco-Brazilian defence issues with their Brazilian counterparts specially flown in from Brasilia : Jô Moraes (PC), Carlos Zarattini (PT), Rosangela Gomes (PRB), Eduardo Cury (PSD) and Edilson Holanda Silva. Although rather short to address all ongoing questions, the gathering was very fruitful, especially since not much had been done in this field during the dire tenure of former president Sarkozy.

Presently proactive and resolute, all the while very soft-handed, the French ministry of Defence’s support to the French defence industry was quite tangible during LAAD, the latest spirited Rafale export successes having surprised many. « The LAAD show represents an important meeting place for France. Taking into account the recent recession which has struck the Brazilian economy offhand, it is furthermore important to be here at LAAD with most if not all the French companies active in the field of defence. Obviously, France’s presence is strong this year and clearly aimed at supporting our Brazilian partners and friends » Jean-Marc Todeschini said. Organised over a large surface made of four different exhibition air-conditioned halls, somewhat like the Eurosatory show, plus an external static exhibition of rotorcraft and vehicles, the 2015 LAAD venue was attended by over 700 Brazilian and international exhibitors.

As Brazil’s major defence programme to date, the Prosub procurement plan will see the Marinha do Brasil renew its submarine fleet with five new vessels, the first of which is now under construction in Itaguaí near Rio de Janeiro. Inscribed in a close partnership with France, Prosub will see four Scorpène SSKs take shape through a joint venture set between Odebrecht and DCNS while a fifth one should serve as the basis of Brazil’s very first nuclear attack submarine. A real pride for Brazil, according to Jaques Wagner, who visited the construction site of the first Scorpène earlier this year, restating how important the country’s partnership with France was : « a keystone for Brazil’s future sovereignty at sea ». At this time 243 Brazilians are in France to validate and secure the transfer of technology process utterly sought by the Latin American giant from DCNS. According to Admiral Max Roffé Hirschfeld, head of the Prosub programme, more than 600 Brazilian companies will benefit from the « strategic partnership » orchestrated with DCNS, with Nuclep and UFEM at the top of the list.

In Brazil, DCI is partnering with DCNS in a programme set to train Marinha do Brasil’s crews of the in the use of their future Scorpène attack submarines, the first of which, the S40 Riachuelo, is scheduled to be commissioned in 2018. For DCI’s local representative, François Bouilly, there exists a true need to develop further more the « strategic partnership » coined with the Prosub programme. Singularly in despatching Portuguese speaking instructors from the French armed forces as observers to assist the three services of the Brazilian armed forces in honing their field instruction anywhere weak points have been spotted, like for instance in the war against sea mines. A domain where French naval expertise is peerless.

Although Dassault Aviation like Boeing did not score in the F-X2 contest which saw the Saab Gripen NG win it all two years ago in Brazil, the French aviation company — with two major export contracts booked in February and April of this year — is sailing ahead at good speed in Asia and Africa. To date, the combined purchases of France, Egypt and India mean that the 200 Rafale production mark is looming in the distance for the omnirole and potent Dassault Aviation fighter plane. France’s latest procurement law having reduced the number of Rafales which should in the end equip the French Air Force and the French Navy (225 in total instead of the 320 aircraft expected initially back in 1992), a grand total of 275 Rafales has now been ordered, including export. A very positive result for Dassault Aviation and a true victory for the French industry with Thales, Safran and MBDA in the wake.

Nexter exhibited again at LAAD its SH 20 pintle-mounted automatic cannon which has been selected in Brazil for the armament of the Helibras H225M, aka EC725 Caracal. To this date fifteen H225M helicopters have been delivered to Brazil’s three services. To add a little confusion, the Caracal is christened “Jaguar” in the Exército Brasileiro ! For Patrick Lier of Nexter, Latin America represents an interesting market with much varied specifications in the field of armoured vehicle and guns. The SH 20 is primarily intended to be fitted to the C-SAR variant of the H225M. It can fire 750 rounds per minute upo to a 2km distance.