Yesterday, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces hosted the kick-off meeting for the Pacte Drones Aériens de Défense (Defense Airborne Drone Pact), signed by the Minister of the Armed Forces at Eurosatory on June 17. The aim of this pact is to close the capability gap within the French Army, and bring it up to the highest level in terms of both the tactical use of contact drones and their performance.
Paris, December 3, 2024. This Pact is the concrete implementation by the French defense procurement agency (DGA) of a recommendation made in the GICAT (Groupement des industries françaises de défense et de sécurité terrestres et aéroterrestres)-ADIF (Association du Drone de l'Industrie Française) report published last spring. The aim is to set up a unique and unprecedented working group between government and industry on these systems, which are revolutionizing air-land combat. Led by the DGA and more specifically the UM CTER, with the support of GICAT, it is open to the entire industry, subject to compliance with a few simple eligibility criteria. To date, 96 manufacturers have signed up to the pact, representing virtually the entire drone DITB, including major groups, SMEs, start-ups, drone manufacturers, equipment suppliers, service providers and more. It includes not only numerous organizations and entities from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, but also from the Ministry of the Interior and state research organizations such as ONERA (Office national d'études et de recherches aérospatiales), the Institut Saint-Louis (ISL) and the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA).
Taking into account the particularities of this field, with its high technological evolution and strong operational stakes, this Pact aims to enable cross-fertilization and stimulation based on a better appropriation of the armed forces' needs by industry, and a better knowledge of French industrial capabilities by operational staff. Its clear and circumscribed scope - contact UAVs weighing less than 150 kg and intended primarily for the French army - will help us achieve our objectives.
In various working groups bringing together members of the Pact and representatives of the administration, reactive thematic work is carried out, leading to concrete and rapid recommendations and results. For example, the first meeting of the Pact saw the launch of an operation led by the DGA, aimed at massively equipping the French army with UAVs for the Orion 2026 exercise. The innovative approach adopted by the DGA, in line with the guidelines set out by the Minister on October 24 at DGA MNRBC, aims to bring the French army up to the highest level of international armies in the tactical use of contact drones in high-intensity operations.
GICAT press contact: Delphine SAMPIC delphine.sampic@gicat.fr
