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CHAPTER III - MEANS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE NAVY

The evolution from the titles V and VI of the Navy follows overall the evolution of the budget of Defense, i.e. a fall compared to 1999. The payment appropriations will rise to 20,1 billion francs , either a reduction of 4,37% and the amount of the authorizations of program will rise to 18  ,83 billion francs, or a fall of 21,22%.

The reduction of the payment appropriations has constrained the Navy to resort to two " temporary " sources   of   financing. the appropriations of social accompaniment of the Management of the shipbuildings (DCN), in surplus in 2000, could provide 500 million francs without questioning of the policy of assistance to the reorganization of this organization. It was also necessary, for a total of 570 million francs, to use installations of calendars of payment , reductions of need and a under-financing for the overcost of the aeronautical ammunition controlled for Kosovo. This balance would be called into question if the Navy were not authorized to consume in 2000 its appropriations of carryforward of 1999.

The fall of the authorizations of program noted for 2000 is explained, as for it, by the fact why the intended authorizations of program, in 1999, to the Horizon frigate, whose launching of the program was delayed, will come to be added to the authorizations of program for 2000 whose level is comparable with that of 1998 but lower by 21 % than that of 1999. In spite of the use of some 3,5 billion francs noncommitted authorizations of program within the Navy, a "   loan   " of 2 billion coming from the appropriations intended for the Air Force was necessary to launch the Horizon program under good conditions.

It should be recalled that the decisions taken at the time of the review of the programs, which resulted in the updating of the law of programming, lead to a total saving in 3   898   million francs on the title V allocated with the Navy between 1999 and 2002. These measurements preserve the main part of the naval capacities of Defense.

It is thus useful to recall, after principal installations resulting from the review of the programs, the level of the commands and the deliveries into 2000:

- the program of the anti-aircraft frigates Horizon is maintained with order taking of the first unit into 2000  ; the ordering of the frigate n° 2 is pushed back to 2001  ;

- the fourth submarine launcher of machines of new generation (SNLE-NG) will be controlled into 2000  ;

- the second section of "   total ordering   " of the Rafale is deferred to 2001, which should not harm the first deliveries of the air-to-ground version in theory with the Navy, but raises right now the question of a need for additional authorizations of program into 2001  ;

- the program of helicopters NH 90 is maintained with an allowance at the minimum level ensuring the phase of development  .

- the admission with the active service of the Charles aircraft carrier of Gaulle will take place into 2000 and not in 1999  ;

- the ordering of the first NTCD (new transport of barges of unloading) is pushed back to 2001. Its objective cost will be attached to the exit of a comparative, national and European step.

- the ordering of the Building industry of Future Logistical support, envisaged into 2000, is deferred  ;

- the command of 1 000 AASM (modular air-to-ground armament), pushed back of 1999 to 2000, was reduced to 250.

On the whole, year 2000 will see only one admission with the active service , that of the Charles of Gaulle but the withdrawal , anticipated for several, of ten buildings representing an equivalent tonnage, of which Foch, three sloops and a traditional submarine. Only one ordering of combat building of surface should intervene this year, that of the first Horizon frigate, whereas none had taken place in 1999. The amount of the resources assigned to the new buildings is thus on a historically low level (8,7% of the title V). the insufficiency of engagements in authorization of program of the years spent, for the new buildings of the fleet, conduit to a situation which cannot last if one wants to respect model 2015 and to maintain the age average of the fleet.

The decision was made to reduce the format of the marine of approximately 20   % over the duration of the LPM. However the missions which are entrusted to him remained appreciably the same ones  ; it should be noted that they fit from now on in the prospect for an increased European co-operation.

The following table presents the appropriations required for 2000 and intended for the conventional forces and space .

I. UNDERWATER FORCES AND FORCES OF WAR OF THE MINES

With. THE STRATEGIC OCEANIC FORCE (FOST)

Year 2000 will be remembered by the command of the 4 ^E underwater nuclear launcher of machine of new generation (SNLE-NG) which must enter in service into 2008, equipped with the new missile M 51. For this reason, this program is equipped into 2000 with 1 485 million francs with authorizations with programs and 1 771 million francs with payment appropriations.

The strategy of dissuasion remains a national priority. In spite of the disappearance of the report/ratio of bipolar forces founder of dissuasion, the role of the nuclear weapons remains essential. Cardinal element of a strategy which remains defensive, they continue to make weigh the threat of unacceptable damage on any attacker which would threaten the vital interests of France. In this field, the navy, which preserves through the strategic oceanic force (FOST) the responsibility for the implementation of the essential component of dissuasion, sees its confirmed major role. However, this mission is exerted with a volume of forces more restricted , corresponding to a revaluation of the "   threshold of sufficiency   ". The FOST must from now on be able to deploy two SNLE patrols some with the sea permanently  ; this objective forces to have three buildings in the operational cycle .

The format of the FOST consequently was brought back to four SNLE (three in the operational cycle and one in major maintenance). This format was rejoined at the beginning of the year 1997, after the admission with the active service of Triumphing. In 2008, with the admission with the active service of the SNLE n°4 controlled into 2000, the navy will have four submarines of new generation (SNG).

The calendar of the admissions and withdrawals of the active service was altered in 1998 at the time of the review of the programs. Compared to the preceding calendar, the evolutions are the following ones:

- the dates of withdrawal of the active service of " Thundering " and " the Untameable one " permuted, which made it possible to remove the great careenage of " Thundering " programmed into 2000;

- the dates of admission to the active service of " Vigilant " and the SNG n° 4 were pushed back respectively 6 months and one year, for technical and financial reasons, without it being necessary to prolong the lifespan of the SNLE M4; on the contrary, the withdrawal of the active service of " the Inflexible one " could be advanced one year: the permanence of availability of three SNLE was preserved by the modification of the expiry of the great careenages;

- the cut-over dates of the SNLE-NG n° 4 and M51 coincide from now on into 2008; that at the same time makes it possible to reduce the cost of the maintenance in operational condition of the missiles M45 by the two year old projection of the startup of M51 and to limit the adaptation M51 of the SNLE to the first three SNLE-NG.

The calendar of the withdrawals of the active service of the SNLE M4 and the admissions to the active service of the standard SNLE M45 "   Triumphing It   " is the following: