The French will eventually need close alignment in the Pacific to counter China. Their EEZ's around their territories will at a convenient stage, be targeted by China. It's a pity Australia and France couldn't work through their differences: one wanted a submarine capability and the other a "relationship" with bottomless finance to provide shipyard jobs in Brittany.
BTW. Germany is looking to ditch their Tiger helicopters too. That's if they can get past the Franco-German politics and buy American. Or perhaps they'd prefer not to upset France and have 8 of 50 Tigers available at any time?