Page 59 - Air Forces Monthly - September 2017

for general surveillance as well
as counter-narcotics duties
in the French Antilles and air
security during the launches
of Ariane space launchers.
They’ve also flown in Djibouti
and from the Seychelles on
counter-piracy missions.
Recent missions include
surveying immigration trails
coming out of North Africa and
over-watching criminal groups
leading the traffic. Short-term
improvements could integrate
a ROVER imagery link for liaison
with special forces involved
in counter-narcotics duties.
The Falcon 200 Gardian
aircraft is stationed exclusively
in French overseas territories.
It’s derived from the twin-
engined Falcon 20 and based
on the US Coast Guard’s now-
retired HU-25 Guardian.
The type has a crew of six: a
pilot and aircraft commander in
the cockpit and a flight engineer,
radio operator and two radar
navigators in the cabin. The
Atlantique 2 17 of Flottille 23F received a special scheme in 2010, marking the centenary of French naval aviation.
The ATL 2 is expected to remain in service until at least 2023. Peter ten Berg flight engineer is responsible for
releasing SAR packs, of which at
IS missions, the ATL 2s began console. Two further NCOs and two Falcon 2000Dx aircraft. least two are regularly carried.
flying from Jordan in February look at the radar imagery. This second batch of Falcon 50Ms The Gardian provides SAR
2016, with crews being rotated Four more aircraft joined the lacked the stores bay, but last year coverage for French Polynesia
every month. Between its fleet from Escadron de Transport Dassault subcontracted Sabena and conducts surveillance of
arrival and the end of January 60, the Armée de l’Air (French Technic to complete the work maritime approaches, transport
2017, 176 missions had been Air Force) VIP squadron, which between 2018 and the end of 2019. of authorities and public service
flown (covering 1,350 flight replaced them with two Falcon 7X The Falcon 50Ms are used missions. Jean-Marc Tanguy
hours), during which period
16 GBU-12s were launched. ORBAT Inventory
The ATL 2 should eventually
be replaced by the Avion de Unit Aircraft Base Aircraft Number
Surveillance et d’Intervention Flottille 21F/Flottille 23F ATL 2 Lann-Bihoué ATL 2 22
Maritime (AVSIMAR) programme, Flottille 24F Falcon 50M Lann-Bihoué Falcon 50M 8
which has been delayed many Flottille 25F Falcon 200 Gardian Nouvelle Calédonie and Falcon 200 5
times. It could eventually Polynésie (Pacific Ocean) Gardian
lead to a mix of piloted
and unpiloted assets. The Falcon 50M fleet has
doubled in size thanks
Falcon 50M to addition of surplus
Armée de l’Air VIP
and Gardian airframes. Falcon 50M
The Aéronautique Navale also 5 is one of the original
batch of SURMAR jets,
flies 13 maritime surveillance which also includes
assets, locally designated serials 27, 34 and 78.
SURMAR (SURveillance MARitime). Dassault Aviation
For 15 years, Flottille 24F has
flown Falcon 50Ms, based on
modified three-engined Falcon
50 bizjets. The first four were
acquired second-hand and
heavily modified with two
observation windows and a
cargo bay to launch SAR packs.
They also carry a Thales Ocean
Master 100 radar and a Chlio
IR turret and are equipped
with a SATCOM capability. Two
pilots fly the aircraft, while the
sensor operator is located in
the rear fuselage with the radar

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