While looking at Jeumont Electric's May 9, 2016, Press Release on (Submarine Matters January 3, 2017) I noticed http://www.jeumontelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/04-29-2016-CP-AUSTRALIE-JE_sfm_ang_final.pdf: Jeumont Electric claimed to be "among the [Australian future submarine] program’s top five largest and most strategic suppliers".
Presuming Jeumont meant the top five French suppliers. I'm wondering what other large French suppliers may make the top five?
French website Mer et Marine (Maritime News) published an excellent article"DCNS groundwork for RAN sub programme" on June 6, 2017, which noted Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, deputy chief executive of DCNS and general manager of the group’s FSP programme said:
"To expedite contract management, we’ve split the main contracts into tranches. Given that the programme will run for 50 years, it hardly seemed reasonable to stipulate everything from the outset,”
So a list of major suppliers may not be readily available.
Fortunately the Mer et Marine article goes on to note "The strategic procurement plan associated with this mammoth endeavour will coordinate supply chains in Australia and France. Where there are capability gaps in Australia, [Naval Group, was DCNS] will turn to French equipment manufacturers." In the same paragraph mentioning:
- Thales (already has extensive facilities in Australia)
- Schneider Electric (already has facilities in Australia) [A competitor to Jeumont?
Schneider Electric advises "Most major navies rely on us for their daily operations, from stealthy
submarines to largest aircraft carriers"
- Fapmo (silent pumps)
- Techclam (high-pressure piping)
- Def Ouest (firefighting equipment)
- Industeel, Aubert & Duval, Dembiermont, FMDL (suppliers of special steels and foundry
work)
Assisted by:
- Pôle Mer (a French maritime "cluster" (conglomerate?))
- Medef (a French Business confederation)
- Business France, and
- Gican (a marine industry association)
The Lockheed Martin integrated, US designed, combat system, which includes sonars and weapons, is also mentioned in the last paragraph:
"Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt also reminds us that, aside from the local industrial fabric for sub construction, one of the programme’s other major challenges is the integration of a US-designed combat management system and weapons with a French-designed sub. “We will have to achieve complete convergence of our respective specifications and make sure that neither the platform nor the combat system has a negative impact on the other’s performance.” For instance, given that the Shortfin Barracudas use conventional propulsion, trade-offs will have to be made regarding power consumption by the platform and the combat system. This is important because the [Combat Management System] CMS will be based on systems developed for nuclear-powered subs aboard which power consumption is less of an issue. On a diesel-electric boat, choices have to be made.“Do you allocate more energy to the CMS or to endurance? The challenge is to achieve a trade-off ensuring the best possible overall performance. We will be working closely with both the Australians and Lockheed Martin to precisely this end. So far our relations with both are going well. For the last six months, which is to say since October 2016, we’ve been working together, with everyone on the same page.”
SEE WHOLE MER ET MARINE ARTICLE (which was translated and adapted by Steve Dyson).
PETE COMMENT
Some in Australia feel that that French component supplying and system building should be minimised. This is to maximise the amount of local Australian content - to boost Australian jobs and to deliver essential electoral seats to Australia's Federal Government.
This is noting Australia may have another Federal Election between August 2018 and May 2019. September (the beginning of the southern Spring public optimism) 2018 may be the most likely month.
Pete
Presuming Jeumont meant the top five French suppliers. I'm wondering what other large French suppliers may make the top five?
French website Mer et Marine (Maritime News) published an excellent article"DCNS groundwork for RAN sub programme" on June 6, 2017, which noted Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, deputy chief executive of DCNS and general manager of the group’s FSP programme said:
"To expedite contract management, we’ve split the main contracts into tranches. Given that the programme will run for 50 years, it hardly seemed reasonable to stipulate everything from the outset,”
So a list of major suppliers may not be readily available.
Fortunately the Mer et Marine article goes on to note "The strategic procurement plan associated with this mammoth endeavour will coordinate supply chains in Australia and France. Where there are capability gaps in Australia, [Naval Group, was DCNS] will turn to French equipment manufacturers." In the same paragraph mentioning:
- Thales (already has extensive facilities in Australia)
- Schneider Electric (already has facilities in Australia) [A competitor to Jeumont?
Schneider Electric advises "Most major navies rely on us for their daily operations, from stealthy
submarines to largest aircraft carriers"
- Fapmo (silent pumps)
- Techclam (high-pressure piping)
- Def Ouest (firefighting equipment)
- Industeel, Aubert & Duval, Dembiermont, FMDL (suppliers of special steels and foundry
work)
Assisted by:
- Pôle Mer (a French maritime "cluster" (conglomerate?))
- Medef (a French Business confederation)
- Business France, and
- Gican (a marine industry association)
The Lockheed Martin integrated, US designed, combat system, which includes sonars and weapons, is also mentioned in the last paragraph:
"Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt also reminds us that, aside from the local industrial fabric for sub construction, one of the programme’s other major challenges is the integration of a US-designed combat management system and weapons with a French-designed sub. “We will have to achieve complete convergence of our respective specifications and make sure that neither the platform nor the combat system has a negative impact on the other’s performance.” For instance, given that the Shortfin Barracudas use conventional propulsion, trade-offs will have to be made regarding power consumption by the platform and the combat system. This is important because the [Combat Management System] CMS will be based on systems developed for nuclear-powered subs aboard which power consumption is less of an issue. On a diesel-electric boat, choices have to be made.“Do you allocate more energy to the CMS or to endurance? The challenge is to achieve a trade-off ensuring the best possible overall performance. We will be working closely with both the Australians and Lockheed Martin to precisely this end. So far our relations with both are going well. For the last six months, which is to say since October 2016, we’ve been working together, with everyone on the same page.”
SEE WHOLE MER ET MARINE ARTICLE (which was translated and adapted by Steve Dyson).
PETE COMMENT
Some in Australia feel that that French component supplying and system building should be minimised. This is to maximise the amount of local Australian content - to boost Australian jobs and to deliver essential electoral seats to Australia's Federal Government.
This is noting Australia may have another Federal Election between August 2018 and May 2019. September (the beginning of the southern Spring public optimism) 2018 may be the most likely month.
Pete