Story ID: 
Daher Receives French TBM Mx Contract Extension
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: The contract extension from the French Ministry for the Armed Forces is for maintenance and other support of its fleet of Daher TBM 700A/Bs.
Word Count: 185
The French Ministry for the Armed Forces has extended by seven years an operational support contract with Daher for the military's Daher TBM 700 turboprop singles. The contract covers a fleet of 26 TBM aircraft: 23 TBM 700As and three 700Bs based in mainland France for military air mobility and training missions.

France's ministry uses the Tarbes, France-based airframer for liaison and training missions, as well as services for aircraft and helicopter maintenance and logistics. Fifteen of the TBMs are used by the French Air and Space Force, eight for the country’s army, and three for the DGA defense procurement agency’s flight-test department. Daher added that the 84-month contract renewal is for an expected average activity of 10,900 flight hours annually with the French military’s TBM fleet.

“The French Ministry for the Armed Forces is a demanding client that always has pushed us towards excellence, especially in challenging times,” said Daher Aircraft Division senior v-p Nicolas Chabbert. “Recently, our teams were mobilized to meet needs of the French armed forces, including the Gendarmerie, in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.”