French defense planners are studying schemes to boost military space and research spending and to increase reliance on private financing initiatives to reduce pressure on near-term procurement requirements. The country's multiyear defense plan, approved late last year, generally provides for a sharp increase in procurement purchases. However, milspace spending is due to drop once existing satcom and surveillance satellite programs end around mid-decade. Defense research expenditures are to increase under the plan, which runs through 2008, but at levels that are widely recognized as too low. Any change in the plan would have enormous repercussions in Europe. France provides more than half of European milspace funding. And together with the U.K., it accounts for 80% of European military research and development (R&D) spending.
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