During a meeting at Matignon, ministers and top military officials examined the capacity of manufacturers to meet new orders for ammunition and drones, whose consumption has increased significantly with the war in the Middle East.
“The sovereignty has a price” was the statement made by Economy Minister Roland Lescure on the defense industry and sovereignty issues which concern everyone. He highlighted three levels of insufficiently mobilized funding: Europe, the state as a shareholder, and individuals who can invest in certain dedicated funds. He emphasized the importance of all contributing to this effort and the benefits it will bring, mentioning the Bpifrance Defense fund where individuals can invest from 500 euros to support non-listed companies in the sector.
Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin reiterated that “sovereignty has a price.” She mentioned the creation of the France Munitions platform, funded by both the state and the private sector, to be more agile and go further.
Sébastien Lecornu announced additional orders for ammunition totaling 8.5 billion euros by 2030 during a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, as part of the update to the Military Programming Law (LPM) which is set to be reviewed.
