Extra costs for Overseas operations of the French Military

The ring-wing MP (LR) for Haute-Marne,  special rapporteur for defence in the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, has once again expressed his doubts, this October 13rd, about the end of management 2020, and the finance bill (PLF) 2021, which will be studied in the first reading at the hemicycle at the end of this month. MP’ Francois Cornut-Gentille considers that “the end of management 2020 will be complicated like every year, but a little bit more in 2020” due to the increase of extra costs for Opex (Overseas operations of the French military), because 600 additional staff were deployed for Barkhane (but also to the loss in materials), Resilience and Amitie operations. Thus, he estimates that the level could reach 1,6 billions of euro.

Dassault Rafale for Greece

Formerly, the ministry of the Armed Forces found resources to finance additional costs: the amounts not expensed of title 2 for instance, but the MP consider that the totality of the funds of T2 will be spend this year. The deferred charge, which should have been reduced during the LPM (Military programming law) increase, states Francois Cornut-Gentille, and could reach 15 to 16 %.  The MP also praises the Greek announcements about Dassault Rafale, “a good new for the exports and for Dassault Aviation” but he is concerned like many others of the consequences of the sampling of 12 Dassault Rafale which are currently in French Air Force. And that 1 billion of euros, which were not budgeted in LPM, would be spent. It is true that Greece will pay for second-hand aircrafts ( on which equipment will have to be removed) but less than new planes.

Is Definvest not being up to the challenge?

French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly recognized herself, during a meeting in Parliamentary commission a short while ago that she was not sure to recover the proceeds of this sale even if she intends to win her case with Bercy. The level of the remaining amount to be paid, the commitments not covered by payments, reaches 72.7 billion euros at the end of 2019, an all-time high since 2006 at least. François Cornut Gentille also wants to boost the logic of Definvest, which has carried out "only eight operations" and "is not up to the challenge". Photonis has not been sufficiently protected, he notes. Finally, he deplored the lack of answers from the Ministry of Armed Forces to his 150 budgetary questions asked in July for PLF (Finance Act Project) for 2021, or answers too late: 50 arrived in the mail this Saturday. Finally, other answers are accompanied by a request for discretion, even though they appear in open source in other budgetary documents.