Babcock France is to acquire 22 new Pilatus Aircraft PC-7 MKX trainers for a new contract with the French armed forces.
Awarded on 10 January by the country’s DGA procurement body, the 17-year deal will see Babcock provide initial training to French air force and navy pilots under the Mentor2 programme.
Babcock will also provide 12 simulators for the contract, which will be operated from Salon-de-Provence air base in southern France.
The new aircraft will replace an existing fleet of Cirrus SR20s and Grob Aircraft G120As made available under a deal with the Airbus Flight Academy.
Also including through-life support of the aircraft, infrastructure and pilot equipment, the agreement will see delivery of nearly 11,000 flight and 6,500 simulator training hours to approximately 120 students per year.
Babcock was selected as preferred bidder for Mentor2 last November. Since 2018, it has been providing advanced training for French air force crews on 26 PC-21s at Cognac air base through the Fomedec and Mentor1 programmes.
