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TheDirection générale de l'armement (French pronunciation:[diʁɛksjɔ̃ʒeneʁaldəlaʁməmɑ̃],lit. 'Directorate General of Armament', abbr.DGA), established in 1961, is theFrench Government defence procurement and technology agency, responsible within theMinistry of Armed Forces for project management, development, and purchase of weapon systems for theFrench military.[1] The DGA's mission is to prepare the future of French defence systems, equip theFrench Armed Forces, as well as to promote French defence industry exports.
The DGA coordinates armament projects with the industry in France, within Europe, but also with customers for export. Together with the Europe of Defence organisation, the DGA promotes the development of armament projects in co-operation and contributes to the development of theEuropean Defence Agency. Fifteen cooperative armament projects are under way[when?]. The OCCAr (Joint Organisation of Co-operation as regards Armament) ensures the control of six projects intended to equip the French force, inter allia: combatTiger helicopter, ground-to-air missiles shortRoland/Frole range,Cobra counter-battery radar, family of ground-to-air systems future (FSAF),A400M military transport aircraft,PAAMS anti-aircraft system.
The DGA also undertakes the testing and assessment of equipment and military technologies. Test centres are distributed across France to carry out studies in advanced technologies: DGA Hydrodynamics, DGA Aero-engine Testing, DGA CBRN Defence, DGA Information superiority, DGA Land Systems, DGA Missiles Testing, DGA Naval Systems, DGA Flight Testing, DGA Aeronautical Systems, DGA Engineering & Integration. These services contribute to the validation of industrial equipment, but also to the proving of military systems for the programme directorates. Since 2004 DGA, has been organised into two sub-directorates for the coordination of projects dealing respectively with the inter-systems technical approach (Service of architecture inter-systems) and with technological developments (responsible for domains).
In addition, the DGA supervises engineering schools that operate under the scrutiny of the Ministry of defence (École polytechnique,ENSTA ParisTech,Supaéro,ENSTA Bretagne,ENSICA). The high-level military staff of DGA, theCorps of Armament whose members are theingénieurs de l'armement (IA, literally, "Armament Engineers"), are commissioned officers, who are generally graduates of theÉcole polytechnique, then theENSTA orInstitut supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace. The main part of the engineers, theingénieurs des études et techniques d'armement (IETA, literally, "weaponry studies and technics engineers") are graduates of theENSIETA orENSICA.
The DGA also formerly had a division for building warships, theDirection des constructions navales ("Directorate of Naval Construction"), now formed into a partly state-owned corporation, initially namedDCNS in 2007 and rebrandedNaval Group in 2017.
Officers of theCorps de l'armement have a unique rank structure.
Officers of the Corps des ingénieurs des études et techniques de l'armement have also a unique rank structure.
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