A possibility or a price haggling bluff?
France Considered Purchase of UK C-130s
PARIS — An acquisition of secondhand Super Hercules C-130Js flown by the British Royal Air Force was one of the options considered by France, which seeks to buy four C-130 transport planes to boost support for troops deployed across sub-Saharan Africa, two defense sources said.
The Direction Générale de l’Armement procurement office “raised at the start of December” the option, which sparked some surprise, a French defense specialist said. Britain, which was launch customer for the Super Hercules, is looking to sell the first 10 acquired and hold on to the remaining 14 planes.
“The British C-130Js are an option for France,” said US Army Col. John "Walt" Kennedy, chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation, here. The systems, including avionics, on those early models will need to be upgraded.
A DGA spokesman declined comment.
On Tuesday, US officers in Washington briefed DGA officials, who sought clarification on the offer of four C-130Js, announced last month by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The US Air Force has offered an accelerated delivery schedule.
A ministerial decision on the C-130 is expected to be taken in the next two weeks, following the US briefing.
The US technical briefing set out in detail the elements of the offer, which carried a maximum price of $650 million. That figure sparked initial French concern as it far exceeded the €330 million (US $360.9 million) earmarked for the planned C-130 acquisition.
That “top price” of $650 million covered clearance for future upgrades and was intended to speed up their delivery to France.