2024-10-04 10:59:40
France lags behind other European countries in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which became noticeable 10-15 years ago. This was stated by the French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu in an interview with Le Point magazine, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
“I am concerned about our overall failure in the field of drones, which occurred 10-15 years ago,” the minister noted. Lecornu stressed that Paris should not strive to “eternally catch up,” but, on the contrary, “leap over a technological generation.” “By 2030, France should become a leader in the production of various versions of UAVs,” he added.
The minister also pointed out that this problem worries French President Emmanuel Macron, who is putting “adequate pressure” on him in this direction.
In June, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces decided to reform the procurement process from national manufacturers of small class UAVs in order to speed it up. According to the weekly Defense News, Paris fears its armed forces are lagging technologically behind those of neighboring countries, as drones are now seen as key capabilities that could radically change combat tactics.