It is a fact that the Turkish defense industry has made significant progress in recent years, producing its own weapon systems-means and ammunition, with ours, after years of languishing due to the MoUs, trying to recover. something however that will take time.
Our country, in order to deal with the above situation, which, combined with the most aggressive Turkish foreign policy against us, is taking on alarming dimensions, is making purchases of critical weapon systems - means and ammunition from friendly and allied countries, primarily from the USA-France-Israel, while at the same time, through its participation in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) programs, it co-produces similar defense products with other EU countries, as well as through NATO.
In this way, Greece, either through NATO or through PESCO, acquires know-how from its cooperation with other advanced defense industries of EU countries, creates new jobs, while it will have preferential treatment as a co-producer country, in the acquisition-purchase of weapons systems of the respective participating program, as well as the flow of their spare parts.
In support of the above, comes an article by a reputable International French Media, entitled "France will coordinate a European project for a new generation "medium" helicopter", bearing in mind that Greece is also involved in its construction, pointing out the following:
"In November 2020, France joined the NGRC (Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities) project that NATO had just launched with Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece.
This NGRC project proposed developing a solution to meet future utility helicopter needs "exploiting a wide range of recent advances in technology, production methods and operational concepts".
For France as for Germany, Italy and Greece it was then a matter of priority without delay, the succession of the NH-90 "Caiman" helicopter.
Less than three years later, the European Union EU presented a list of eleven new projects to receive funding under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).
And one of them joins NATO's NGRC, called NGMH (Next Generation Medium Helicopter) and aims to develop a "new generation medium helicopter".
This project "aims to create a forum to meet operational needs, both for the upgrade of existing fleets and for the new European helicopter, harmonizing needs between EU countries," explains the European Defense Agency (EDA).
"The NGMH will ensure the availability and adequacy of the EU's helicopter fleets until 2040" as well as "the preparation of the next generation European helicopter", with the need "to deal with high-intensity conflicts", it continues, without specifying the amount fund available for this project to be coordinated by France.
A priori, and as far as the NATO NGRC is concerned, two manufacturers should play an important role in this "PESCO" project:
Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo, who have already partnered with NHIndustries, the joint venture that produces the NH-90 Caiman.
Additionally, both are participating in the Clean Sky 2 program, with Racer and NextGenCTR respectively.
In January 2021, Jérôme Combe, chief strategy officer at Airbus Helicopters, defended the idea of a merger with Leonardo during a Royal Aeronautical Society conference. Indeed, he considered it "undesirable to have two major European helicopter manufacturers competing in a declining military market".
However, Mr Combe had underlined, "without collaboration, we run the risk of not reaching the critical mass to achieve the return on investment required to commercialize a new device".
And let me add that it would be possible to 'join' forces under a program financed by the European Defense Fund (FEDEF)."
