France wants to cement its lead in aerospace
French media reported that on December 11, President Macron went to Airbus in Toulouse, hoping to maintain a leading position in the two sovereign industries of aerospace.
Noting that France faces huge challenges, Macron said the aviation industry must not miss the transition to decarbonisation, with Airbus pledging to be the first manufacturer in the world to launch a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035.
Macron plans to triple funding for aviation support programs between 2024 and 2030. France will invest 300 million euros a year to support Safran and General Electric in the development of new efficient engines and the design of more economical hybrid, electric and hydrogen aircraft. These funds will be incorporated into the Aviation Research Council (CORAC) Decarbonisation Roadmap, with the General Administration of Civil Aviation responsible for project validation and funding allocation, and the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) responsible for supporting these projects through product and service procurement contracts.