Direction générale de l ' armement The Direction générale de l ’ armement ( DGA ) , which can be translated with “ General Directorate for Armament ” , is the French Government Defense procurement agency responsible for the program management , development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military . Armament programs coordination . The DGA coordinates the armament programs with industry in France , within Europe , but also with customers for export . Together with the Europe of Defence organization , the DGA promotes the development of armament programmes in co - operation and contributes to the development of the European Defence Agency . Fifteen cooperative armament programmes are under way . The OCCAr ( Joint Organisation of Co - operation as regards Armament ) ensures the control of six programmes intended to equip the French force , inter allia : combat Tiger helicopter , ground - to - air missiles short Roland / Frole range , Cobra counter - battery radar , family of ground - to - air systems future ( FSAF ) , A400M military transport aircraft , PAAMS anti - aircraft system . Other activities . Testing and expertise . The DGA also undertakes the testing and assessment of equipments and military technologies . Test centres are distributed across France to carry out studies in advanced technologies , in aeronautics and missiles ( the , , island of raising and Gâvres , and the ) , . These services contribute to the validation of industrial equipments , but also to the proving of military systems for the programme directorates . Since 2004 DGA is organized into two subdirectorates for the coordination of programs dealing respectively with the inter - systems technical approach ( Service of architecture inter - systems ) and with technological developments ( responsible for domains ) . List of délégués généraux pour l ' armement . The list of successive Heads of the DGA , whether they are from the Corps de l ' armement , from the Corps des mines or from the French Armed Forces , whether they are more technology - oriented or " cost - cutting " - oriented , whether they originate from the DGA itself or from outside , gives an idea of the evolution of the institution . Michel Fourquet , général d ' armée aérienne , X33 Delpech Henri Martre 1977 - 1983 Emile Blanc Yves Sillard 1989 - 1993 Jean - Yves Helmer Yves Gleizes François Lureau Laurent Collet - Billon Engineering schools . In addition , 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 , the Corps of Armament whose memberts are the " ingénieurs de l ' armement " ( IA , literally , “ Armament Engineers ” ) , are commissioned officers , who are generally graduates of the École polytechnique , then the ENSTA or Supaéro . The main part of the engineers , the " ingénieurs des études et techniques d ' armement " ( IETA , literally , " weaponry studies and technics engineers " ) are graduates of the ENSIETA or ENSICA . Naval building . The DGA also formerly had a division for building warships , the " Direction des constructions navales " ( “ Directorate of Naval Construction ” ) , now formed into a partly state - owned corporation , DCNS . Ranks within the Corps de l ' armement . Officers of the Corps 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 .