France is trying to rebuild a strategically important for ourselves to manufacturing buildings for bombs. Recent years in this area of Paris has been completely dependent on Washington.
The French Ministry of Defense is trying to involve the local enterprise to Rafaut, to restore its strategic autonomy in the production of housings for heavy bombs. Recently opened a new plant for days, designed for this purpose.
company SAMP (Society of Mechanical workshops Pont-sur-Sambre) It was the only company of the military-industrial complex in France, producing bombs for the Air Force and naval aviation. AT 2011 SAMP year put the last batch of 1200 250-kilogram bombs MK 82, that were ordered two years ago in the framework of the Fifth Republic, the government's plan to bring the economy out of crisis.
Further, the company has experienced some difficulties, that, perhaps, helped to solve a new contract. but, It turned out, Defense made stocks has counted more than sufficient. SAMP curtailed production, and 2017 and completely closed. However, forecasts of 2009 folded before further reality.
Initially, there was an operation in Libya, then followed by the French intervention in Mali, further - military operations in Iraq and Syria. As in Syria, and Iraq, BBC France (Air Force and naval aviation) dropped at least 1600 bombs on the positions of the Islamic State terrorists (an organization banned in Russia) since 2014 by 2016 year. As a result, Paris was completely dependent on supplies from Washington, which undermined France's strategic autonomy in the matter.
“We have for too long depended on supplies from the United States”, – say military pilots.
We had to make purchases abroad, in the United States, because we do not have production capacity. It was necessary to replenish stock levels, that seemed too low.
– He quotes the words of the then Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Force General Jean Rondell French resource Opex360.
For the successful execution of military missions you need military industry.
– He said at a meeting of Parliament, General Andre Lanata, Chief of Staff of the Air Force. And his words were heard. In November 2016 year headed at that time the Ministry of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian said, that the production of bombs will be restored, because the move is "necessary" for the strategic autonomy.
Restoring strategic autonomy
The choice fell on growing and developing company Rafaut, in recent years to triple its turnover. In October 2018 , the company began construction of a new ultra-modern "4.0" of the plant. A year later, the production of, require investment in 23 million euros, Minister of War was opened in France, Florence Parley. The plant was built through contracts with the support of the Ministry of Defense and the region Hauts-de-France.
Industry 4.0 – a concept, which reorganizes the industrial production, relying on digital tools and information technologies. At the factory, the amount of which all employees 50 human, production will be as automated and robotic. Enterprise is intended for the design and manufacture of a wide range of products, in the first place - general purpose bombs such as MK81 / MK82 / MK83 / MK 84.
Housing bombs are made by seamless technology. The main arms control has already notified a contract for the development and production of housings for heavy bombs MK 83 (500 kg) and MK 84 (1 ton).
The presence of French technology, allowing to make this kind of weapons, extremely valuable. With this contract, our strategic autonomy is significantly strengthened.
– said the defense minister of the Fifth Republic Florence Parley at the opening ceremony of the enterprise.
