Organisation

The three coming years of Advanced defence research themes is oriented by a Ministerial directive with annual update.

The purpose of most of the advanced defence research studies is to allow manufacturers to acquire or maintain the competence needed to accomplish future programmes. The DGA wants to entrust Prime contractor status to those manufacturers best suited to valorise this competence.

The manufacturers are requested to contribute financially to the studies themselves. This contribution is modulated in light of the type of programme and the spin-off they can expect from it, and is an indicator of their interest in investing in these research activities.

The DGA encourages manufacturers to contract government organisations and laboratories directly in the research work in order to improve reciprocal knowledge generation and government and private competence by working jointly.

Advanced defence research programmes are thus defined individually by a clearly expressed technical objective, a calendar fixed at the outset, and a total cost forecast, accompanied by a commitment and payment schedule. Each avanced defence research programme is placed under the double responsibility :

  a technical unit leader of a DGA/DET (Directorate of the Technical Expertise),

  a manager of DGA/DSA (Directorate of weapon systems).

Since 1998, Advanced defence research programmes have followed an appraisal procedure by groups including specialists and experts from the civil research world, and might be opened up gradually, on a basis of reciprocity, to European experts.