Aircraft To Fly Maritime Surveillance Missions For The French Navy

A new Falcon 50M was delivered by  Dassault Aviation in Mérignac, France to the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to ensure maritime surveillance tasks. This aircraft is the first in a series of four State-owned Falcon 50B (initially operated by Etec, the French Air Force squadron that ensured presidential and other official flights) to be transformed for maritime surveillance missions. It will join four other Falcon 50 M jets in service in the French Navy since the early 2000s.

The main missions of these aircraft involve search and rescue at sea, surveillance of fishing zones and fighting against trafficking and smuggling.
 
The project to transform the aircraft for maritime surveillance work involves installing observation windows and a mission control system (provided by Thales) that includes a radar device installed in the nose cone, retractable infrared optronics and an operator’s console in the cabin.
 
Delivery of the three other Falcon 50 M will be staggered up to early 2015.

(Image provided by Dassault Aviation)

FMI: www.dassault-aviation.com/en