Jumat, 18 Juni 2021

The Thunderclap of Fincantieri in Indonesia Strongly Shakes France

⚓️ The slap is enormous for the French export team. Especially since nobody saw it coming. FREMM Bergamini class [marina difesa]

Fincantieri's mega-hit in Indonesia announced a week ago is making waves in France. Waves in depth for the moment even if a few bubbles rise to the surface as the great disappointment on Franco-Italian cooperation expressed by the General Delegate for Armaments (DGA) Joël Barre during his hearing at the National Assembly no open to the press. It must be said that the importance of the contract of 4.1 billion euros (six Italian FREMM frigates and the modernization and sale of two Maestrale frigates), rightly calls out in France at the time when the charge of the Lorient shipyard to Naval Group is not insured for the moment beyond 2028 (after the end of the construction of the five FDI frigates for the French Navy). And this especially since this contract is already in force, according to certain sources from La Tribune.

  A lot of questions 
Egyptian Navy's Bernees frigate (FFG 1003) (Egyptian MoD picture)

Within Naval Group, which has not submitted offers, according to corroborating sources, and within the ministry, the announcement of the contract by Fincantieri surprised many and must have been difficult to digest. It also refers Naval Group and the government to its desire to engage in European cooperation at all costs, and particularly in the naval sector with Fincantieri within Naviris, the joint company specializing in surface vessels. The Indonesian contract of the Italian shipyard is therefore a huge slap in the face for France, which today feels betrayed by its partner. Perhaps out of naivety, the France team however gave the stick to be beaten.

Also, several questions arise after this huge French disappointment: why Naval Group did not submit an offer? What role did Naviris play in this offer? Why were the French so surprised by this announcement? Are the Italians reliable partners within Naviris? While the Italians, who have therefore sold six FREMMs to Indonesia, offer this type of frigates in Greece, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, why has France preferred the FDI to the FREMM?

  Naval Group in Indonesia 
Maestrale class frigate [Italian MoD]

In Indonesia, the French naval group has somewhat abandoned the surface ship campaigns launched by the Indonesian navy in favor of the prospect of submarines considered more strategic and, perhaps more affordable. It is a choice that was made several years ago by the former CEO Hervé Guillou, then continued by Pierre Eric Pommellet. Other sources believe that Naval Group was even prevented from submitting an offer due to secret agreements between Naval Group and Fincantieri, which shared the world commercially at the time of the creation of Naviris. In this context, Indonesia as well as the Philippines would have been "reserved" for Italian. This agreement did exist, according to a source familiar with the matter, but was torn apart by the blows of a penknife given by Fincantieri in countries "reserved" for Naval Group (Greece, Saudi Arabia and Egypt).

Was it Fincantieri or Naviris, which brought the Italian offer to Indonesia? The sale of the six Italian FREMMs is, according to our information, a project carried commercially by Fincantieri and carried on the political level by a state-to-state market. On the other hand, there is doubt about the renovation of the Maestrale, which could be carried out within the framework of the joint venture between Fincantieri and Naval Group. In any case, in France nobody saw anything coming. Neither the State, nor the intelligence services, nor Naval Group and nor Thales, whose Dutch subsidiary is nevertheless very present in Indonesia. Fincantieri negotiated to the end quietly in the greatest secrecy with Jakarta, where the announcement of the contract with Fincantieri is also making waves. Question: Weren't the compliance services too zealous in blindfolding and covering the ears of France in Indonesia, and more generally in the world?

  What cooperation with the Italians? 
FDI frigates [naval technology]

France is disappointed by the lack of loyalty of the Italians, who nevertheless legitimately defended their interests. Naviris now seems to be an increasingly empty shell. This company is now refocused on R&D projects, preparation for the mid-life modernization of Horizon frigates and on the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) project. Far from the initial ambitions. In addition, the Italians fire everything for export. According to our information, they have submitted an offer in Greece based on constellation-type FREMMs, in Saudi Arabia (four FREMMs) and in Egypt (two FREMMs). Where France offers FDI frigates or Gowinds. In addition, the Italians offer patrol boats in Ghana to the chagrin of Ocea ...

The success in Indonesia also calls for the choice of the Italian FREMM, which has a displacement of 6,500 tons (against 4,460 tons for the FDI, which is therefore lighter). A warship that pleases the navies ... Moreover, Fincantieri also offers it to Greece, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The choice of these three countries will therefore validate or not the orientations taken by Naval Group, which had twisted at the time of Hervé Guillou the arm of the French Navy, by privileging the FDI to the detriment of the FREMM. An FDI launched precisely to become the spearhead of Naval Group's export trade policy and also to make the group's design offices work at the time. The momentum is near ... And it will inevitably be accompanied in the wake of social issues, especially in Lorient, which is awaiting a decision from Greece. Success is vital for this site, which will build one of the four frigates in France.

 ⚓️  Latribune  

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