defencenews.com: French, U.K. Defense Chiefs To Discuss Carrier
French Defense Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie plans to contact her British counterpart shortly to discuss concerns over whether the U.K. government will go ahead with its aircraft carrier program. Recent press reports that London may ax plans to build two new CVF carriers have been taken seriously here, raising questions on what that might mean for France’s Porte-Avions 2 (PA2) carrier program.
Alliot-Marie said at her New Year’s press conference Jan. 16 there was an indispensable need for a second carrier, and a future government should maintain defense spending to ensure France maintains its standing in the world, by backing up diplomacy with military means. Alliot-Marie said she hoped to meet with or talk on the phone with British Defence Secretary Des Browne to clear up concerns about the U.K. carrier program.
France wants to build its PA2 in cooperation with the United Kingdom, using the British carrier design and to achieve economies of scale. A cancellation by London would affect French industry. DCN and Thales are the contractors leading French industry’s efforts to build the PA2.
A French government official said the ministry planned to move from the design stage to the realization phase of the PA2 program, although a launch contract was not expected to be signed before the national elections in March. Going to the realization phase would involve ordering long-lead items such as the two U.S.-built 90-meter steam catapults. Such purchases and moving ahead on PA2 would make it harder for a new government to cancel the carrier program. If Britain cancels its carrier program that would not mean France would cut the PA2, the official said. France had planned to build a second carrier before the idea developed of a cooperative venture with Britain, he said.
Budgetary pressure on the Royal Navy has led to second thoughts on going ahead with the CVF ships, British newspapers have reported. British Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson told the House of Lords Jan. 18 that he was aware of the speculation, but said the government remained committed to the program. Drayson said progress on the project was being made, including work with France on a common design. The minister said the Labour government was still haggling with industry over a final price.
The British recently said they will not award a production contract for the carriers until a restructuring of the naval shipbuilding industry is complete. BAE Systems and the VT Group are engaged in shipyard merger talks, and Drayson said good progress was being made......