• Defence Notes

  Texelis resumes production at Limoges facilities

  21st April 2020

  Texelis re-started production at its manufacturing facilities in Limoges, France after a period of reduced operations, the company confirmed in a 21 April statement. The …

• Land Warfare

  Arquus to supply around 300 vehicles to French Army

  3rd April 2020

  Arquus is to provide around 300 new and retrofitted vehicles to the French Army, under an agreement with the country's MoD. A media spokesperson for …

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA succeeds in first trial firing of Sea Venom

  6th March 2020

  MBDA has carried out its first qualification firing trial for the Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile. The test was carried out at the DGA Essais de …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  France's DGA tests nEUROn in operational contexts

  24th February 2020

  The French DGA has completed a new flight test campaign of the nEUROn stealth combat drone technology demonstrator. Carried out in cooperation with Dassault Aviation, …

• Defence Helicopter

  HIL programme pre-development activities underway

  7th February 2020

  Airbus Helicopters and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) are to undertake studies to further the militarisation of the H160 in the frame of France’s Joint …

• Defence Helicopter

  Four H160s for French Navy

  10th February 2020

  The French Navy is to operate the H160 helicopter for search and rescue missions, Airbus Helicopters announced on 10 February. The helicopters will be delivered …

• Defence Notes

  UK, France seek fresh missile technologies

  27th January 2020

  The UK Ministry of Defence and French DGA Materials and Components for Missiles, Innovation and Technology Partnership (MCM ITP) programme is launching Innovation Call research …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales and Dassault Aviation to strengthen France's SIGINT capabilities

  15th January 2020

  Thales and Dassault Aviation have been awarded a contract by the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) to equip the French Army's future strategic intelligence aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  France commissions stratobus platform study

  9th January 2020

  Thales Alenia Space and Thales have signed a contract with the French defence procurement agency, DGA, to carry out a concept study for the use …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cerberus at the gate

  24th December 2019

  The French government has announced the completion of test flights for its aerostat-based CERBERE signals intelligence system, nine years after the programme first got underway. …

• Military Logistics

  Safran selected for A400M airdrop system

  9th December 2019

  The French defence procurement agency, DGA, has selected Safran to supply an air delivery system capable of releasing heavy loads from the A400M military transport …

• Digital Battlespace

  French Navy to get communications boost with Mercure system

  16th December 2019

  French naval communications will benefit from a capability enhancement with the advent of the Mercure HF communications system which will provide an increase in the …

• Training

  MBDA to purchase GDI Simulation from Airbus

  22nd November 2019

  MBDA is to purchase GDI Simulation from Airbus under an agreement announced on 21 November. Closing of the deal is subject to regulatory closing conditions. …

• Military Logistics

  Fincantieri receives order for LSS forward sections

  28th October 2019

  Fincantieri has received a contract to produce forward sections for four Logistic Support Ships (LSS) being built for the French Navy. The contract, from Chantiers …

• Military Logistics

  A400M reaches paratroop certification milestone

  10th October 2019

  More paratroop dispatch certification testing of the Airbus A400M airlifter has been completed in France, the company announced on 7 October. Testing carried out in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi [France]

  Programme Background Requriment In February 2020, the French DGA procurement agency released a tender calling for a quadcopter micro UAS to equip all branches of ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sonora [France]

  Background Aerial Drone Pact At Eurosatory 2024, the Aerial Drone Pact was signed. The Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) is managing the pact with the support of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Chorus (Contracted) [France]

  Background Production start In Janurary 2026, French press, such as L’Usine Nouvelle, reported that Renault, in collaboration with Turgis Gaillard, was to begin low-rate production ...

• Loitering munitions

  Chorus (Uncontracted) [France]

  Background Initial development contract In Janurary 2026, French press, such as L’Usine Nouvelle, reported that Renault, in collaboration with Turgis Gaillard, was to begin low-rate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Onboard Mini-Drone Systems (SMDM) (1-68) [France]

  Background First Contract In February 2021, the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) announced a €19.7 million ($23.30 million) contract it had awarded Survey Copter, a subsidiary of Airbus ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (1-30) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 (Special Forces) [France]

  Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French Army. ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Acquisition of an Initial Depth Support Drone Capacity (ADAPT) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, three ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (31-140) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-S [France]

  Programme Background Following the announcement of the 14-ship contract, the DGA approved the design of the first two standard amphibious landing craft (EDA-S) in October 2019, ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Acquisition of an Initial Depth Support Drone Capacity (ADAPT) [France]

  The Acquisition of an Initial Depth Support Drone Capacity (ADAPT) is a French procurement programme intended to partially replace the now-cancelled second stage of the Tactical Drone ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Acquisition of an Initial Depth Support Drone Capacity (ADAPT) [France]

  The Acquisition of an Initial Depth Support Drone Capacity (ADAPT) is a French procurement programme intended to partially replace the now-cancelled second stage of the Tactical Drone ...

• Maritime patrol

  MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  Background In 2017, Germany and France announced that they would be working towards developing an MPA to replace their current fleets in service. Hoev The ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-12) [France]

  Background In November 2014, The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has confirmed purchase of 12 A330 MRTT air-to-air refuelling aircraft from Airbus. The contract will cover the development ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (First batch) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - UUVs

  Uncrewed Combat Underwater Vehicle (UCUV)

  The Uncrewed Combat Underwater Vehicle (UCUV) is an uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) being developed and built by France's Naval Group for the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Aliaca Evo

  The U010 Aliaca Evo, or DVF 2000 VT, is an electrically powered mini-UAV designed to perform ISR missions, coastal surveillance, convoy protection and powerline and pipeline monitoring. ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Matrice 600

  The Matrice 600, or M600, is a DJI rotary-wing UAV designed primarily for professional aerial photography and industrial applications. It was designed to closely integrate various ...

• Air: mission management systems

  MPME

  Safran Electronics & Defense has developed the MPME (Module de préparation de mission pour equipages d’hélicoptères) mission planning system for use by French Army Gazelle, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Chorus

  The Chorus is a long-range loitering munition being produced by Renault in collaboration with Turgis Gaillard for the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA). Little ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  ENBATA

  ENBATA is a multi-mission, ITAR-free MALE UAV produced by the French company Aura Aero. The aircraft is under development at the request of the General Directorate ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  AGILE

  The Airborne Gyro-stabilised IR Light Equipment (AGILE) was a dual/tri/quad sensor system for day and night surveillance, observation, border and maritime patrol, law enforcement, and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Repace

  The Repace is a hydrogen-powered drone that the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) unveiled in November 2023. The drone's development was led by reeachers from the Centre de ...

• Land: battle management systems

  COFEUX

  COFEUX is a tactical situation management system developed for French Army helicopters (Tiger and NH90). It includes a digital mapping module with an ‘inter-visibility’ function ...

• Major networking projects

  MOIE SIC Terre

  In January 2005, France’s DGA defence procurement agency awarded Thales (70%), and partner EADS DCS (30%), a $230 million contract for the MOIE SIC Terre ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  EyePulse

  The EyePulse is a demonstrator for a MALE-UAV from Daher. The UAV was developed in response to the French Directorate General of Armaments’ (DGA) effort to acquire ...

• Directed energy weapons

  HELMA-P

  The HELMA-P laser, manufactured by Cilas, is designed to safeguard sensitive locations, military bases, critical infrastructure, and public gatherings. The laser system is able to ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  VFM (Vedettes de Fusiliers Marins) - ITC 15

  In March 2018, the French DGA awarded a contract to Ufast for the construction of 12 VFM (Vedettes de Fusiliers Marins) fast patrol boats. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Aliaca VTOL

  Unveiled in April 2025, the U010 Aliaca VTOL is, as its name suggests, a VTOL-capable variant of the Aliaca from Survey Copter, an Airbus Defence & Space subsidiary. As ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  R2-600

  The R2-600 is a MALE UAV manufactured by Fly-R. It is designed to conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence (ISR) missions, and offensive operations. It features a rhomboid wing design and ...