Airforce Technology

Daily Newsletter

06 November 2023

Daily Newsletter

Dassault subsidiary SOGITEC opens simulator production facility

The use of simulators in military training is expanding, with the sector forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.49% to reach $3.4bn by 2030.

Dassault Aviation subsidiary SOGITEC has opened a new simulator production facility at its Bruz site in France, which is intended to provide training capabilities for French Armed Forces operators of the Rafale fighter and NH90 helicopter.

A 3 November release from Dassault Aviation stated that the site will also produce simulator equipment for UAV training requirements and follows SOGITEC’s recruitment drive at its two sites in Suresnes and Bruz. Representatives from the civil and military authorities also attended the event, alongside site employees.

The global military simulator systems market was valued at $2.2bn in 2020 and was forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.49% to reach $3.4bn by 2030.

According to GlobalData France’s defence budget is forecast to grow from $47.1bn (€43.8bn) in 2022 up to $52.0bn in 2023 and $57.6bn in 2028. This trend is reflected in the small but steady annual increases to the defence budget since 2019, as the French Government continues to ramp up spending to meet the strategic objectives and modernization requirements outlined in the Military Planning Law 2019–25.

However, the budget’s annual growth rate is likely to slow over the coming years, with current forecasts estimating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.0% between 2024 and 2028, compared to a CAGR of 7.1% between 2019 and 2023.

GlobalData analysis of France’s Air and Space Force inventory show 117 Rafale fighter currently operational, which were introduced into service between 2006-2022, and single F4 variant which was delivered in March 2023. The French Navy has 27 NH90 helicopters in service, delivered between 2007-2021.

Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) are beginning to see combat deployment

The recent introduction of hypersonic missiles into the global threat matrix has led some observers to consider the potential of DEW as an effective countermeasure to this emerging technology. Consequently, the DEW market presents significant potential for growth due to rising global demand and extensive opportunities for technological innovation, though the exorbitant cost of most DEW systems poses its own challenges, most notably higher financial risk during R&D as well as a relatively limited pool of viable customers.