French Military Orders Five More Surveillance Falcons

France’s Defense Procurement and Technology Agency has ordered five more Dassault Falcon 2000 Albatros aircraft for its Maritime Surveillance and Intervention Aircraft program. The contract, announced yesterday, completes a 12-aircraft commitment, of which the first seven were ordered in December 2020.

Dassault Aviation delivers the Albatros version of its Falcon 2000LXS business jet equipped with a multifunction radar installed beneath the fuselage, as well as a high-performance optronic turret, observation windows, search-and-rescue equipment, and a dedicated communications system. The 2000LXS, of which several hundred units are already in service worldwide, has a range of around 4,000 nm.

The French aircraft manufacturer produces the Albatros in partnership with Safran, Thales, and the Naval Group. Dassault’s Mérignac facility in the west of France completes the integration work before each aircraft is put through their paces at its flight-test center in Istres.

“From the Falcon 20 operated by the U.S. Coast Guard to the Falcon 900 and Falcon 2000MSA with the Japanese Coast Guard, and the Falcon 200 Gardian and 50M in service with the French Navy, we have extensive experience with maritime surveillance,” said Dassault chairman and CEO Éric Trappier. He added that multiple countries have shown interest in the platform for roles that include homeland and maritime protection, as well as pollution, trafficking, and fisheries control.