DCN
DCN is a naval defence company based in
France and is one of Europe's leading shipbuilders.
Following the
Second World War, the French government had its military ships designed and built by the
Direction des constructions navales (DCN), later incorporated in the military procurement agency
Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA).
In the
1990s, scandals erupted around unacceptable management and accounting practices inside DCN. In naval arsenals such as that of
Toulon,
corruption and mismanagements of funds were discovered; high-level military officers and engineers were tried. A 2001 report by the
Cour des Comptes denounced haphazard accounting and handling of stocks.
In
1997, the French government decided to reform its shipbuilding and procurement system of naval systems; it separated, on the one hand, the design and procurement, and, on the other hand, the industrial activities of the DCN. The DCN solely retained the industrial side.
In
2000, DCN was transformed into a national service under the direct responsibility of the
Minister of Defence, no longer under DGA. In
2001 the government announced the project to transform DCN into a regular company.
In
2002 DCN and
Thales established the joint company
Armaris to exploit their combined capabilities. This improves DCN's weapons systems portfolio and increases Thales' participation in shipbuilding. Armaris owns 50% of
Horizon SAS, the development agency for the French/Italian
Horizon frigate programme and 50% of
EuroSysNav SAS, the prime contractor for the Horizon's combat system (including DCN's
SYLVER launcher). Thales is at present working with
BAE Systems on the contract for the Royal Navy's
Future Carrier (CVF) and submitted a bid for the future French carrier in competition with DCN. However in June, continuing the collaboration described above, DCN and Thales have announced they will share the role of prime contractor for the project.
Propulsion
*
WR-21 Advanced gas turbine
Surface Vessels
Charles De Gaulle*
Foudre Class LPD*
PA2 (Porte Avions 2) Future carrier*
French Horizon frigates*
La Fayette class frigate and derivatives:
*
Al Riyahd (F3000S Sawari II) class frigates (
Saudi Arabia)
*
Formidable class frigates (
Singapore)
*
Kang Ding class frigates (
Taiwan)
Submarines
Note: the nuclear power plants of the nuclear submarines are designed and maintained by the Direction of military application of CEA.*
Améthyste class SSN*
Barracuda class SSNs (Next generation SSN)
*
Triomphant class SSBNs*
Scorpene class SSKs
Weapons systems
*
SYLVER launchers
*Flight deck systems
*Submarine
AAW*Torpedoes
*
Ship-building*
DCN website*
*
Cour des Comptes,
Les industries d'armement de l'État,
chapter 4, 2001
