France Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia

Introduction

France is a middle power with global ambitions. The technology of its weapons positions it in the high rank of defense industries, which leads it to sell its French products to partner countries wishing to acquire them. French defense exports respond to political-strategic motivations as an instrument of its foreign and defense policy, to economic growth in order to assert and position itself on the global competitive market, and an industrial impulse to preserve and develop its defense industry and technological infrastructure. These motivations are strongly intertwined with each other.

More generally, French arms exports – to countries in the Middle East – give spark debates in society, on their usage and also their purpose which is sometimes at the heart of tense diplomatic sequences – such as the breach of the contract for the purchase of French submarines by Australia in September 2021. These exports are essential for France since they make it possible to affirm on a global scale that they have know-how in the field of armaments.

In this report, the author discusses and presents the historical data concerning the exports of French military equipment and its customers. This will make it possible to understand the evolution that has been known over the last decades and the place of France on the world market.

(available in french only)