The French air force has completed test and evaluation of its second modernised E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, declaring initial operational capability on its Boeing-lead mid-life upgrade programme earlier this week.
The Block 40/45 mid-life upgrade is the largest modification to the French E-3 since its introduction. Along with the addition of four more operator work stations, the block upgrade installs more modern computing systems and communications gear, improving the aircraft’s overall air surveillance and battle management capabilities.
Boeing’s director of airborne surveillance command and control, Mark Ellis, says the contract to upgrade France’s four aircraft through the US foreign military sales process is worth $380 million to the company. He said the third delivery is due in October and the fourth upgrade should finish in June 2016.
“This is the largest single upgrade the French have undertaken on their fleet,” Ellis says. “They have a much greater picture of what’s going on, so situational awareness is much improved.
“The upgrade work started in May of 2013, and we delivered the first jet with the full upgrade in July 2014. The second aircraft was delivered in March of 2015.”
Air France Industries is a major partner on the programme, installing the electrical, mechanical and structural systems and mission hardware on the aircraft at Roissypole, Charles de Gaulle Airport.
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The first aircraft Boeing delivered has already been deployed on operations. French air force chief of staff, Gen Denis Mercier, said on a recent trip to Washington that the first aircraft has been flying missions in the Gulf and is performing well.
“I’m very happy with the upgrade to the E-3 right now,” Mercier says. “It’s already in operation and it works very well.”
Ellis says declaring IOC is a validation of the aircraft’s operational performance with the new mission system. The upgrade also includes improvements to the ground stations for mission planning and analysis.
“Not only are they giving the thumbs up on the system itself we delivered, but also their use of that system,” he says.
The French air force expects the mid-life upgrade to its 707-based AWACS to be relevant through to 2035, and France is already starting to consider what type of platform will come next.
Boeing is also due to deliver its fourth and final 737-based Airborne Early Warning and Control system to Turkey, Ellis says, and Qatar is standing up its own AEW&C capability with three of the aircraft on order.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
