Boeing-upgraded French AWACS Take Flight

Initial operating capability of the modernized French AWACS fleet has been achieved with Boeing’s delivery of the second of four upgraded aircraft and completion of the operational tests and evaluations.
France has four AWACS to monitor national airspace. The aircraft are receiving modifications through a Mid-life Upgrade to increase the fleet’s surveillance, communications and battle management capabilities.
boeing

France receives First Upgraded AWACS

Boeing delivered the first of four upgraded French AWACS.
Delivery followed ground and flight tests at Avord Air Force Base and qualification by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement.
Modifications to the other three French AWACS aircraft are scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2016.
Boeing, as prime contractor, provides hardware, software, engineering and quality assurance support.
boeing

First French AWACS aircraft passes through MLU

The first of four French Air Force Boeing E-3F AWACS) aircraft has passed through its mid-life upgrade (MLU), with the remainder set to follow by the end of 2016.
Boeing and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) have upgraded the aircraft's electrical, mechanical, and structural systems, and mission hardware, in a process that took eight months. The first MLU-upgraded E-3F will now undergo ground and flight tests at Avord Air Base before being delivered to the French Air Force later in 2014. This first aircraft is serial numbered 202.
Improvements include an enhanced primary AWACS display; an improved identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system; better combat identification capabilities; the Link 16 datalink; improved sensor and datalink integration through the multi-source integration process; an increase in the number of mission console stations from the current 10 to 14; upgraded computer processing equipment and battle-management tools as well as an open-system architecture.
janes

Air France updates four French E-3F AWACS

Air France's maintenance arm is upgrading the French air force's E-3F airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft.
The mid-life modernisation programme for the Boeing 707-based aircraft comprises modifications to the airframe structure, mechanical and electrical systems as well as mission equipment. The deal for France's four E-3Fs is worth $354 million, says Boeing, with Air France Industries (AFI) acting as a subcontractor for the airframer.
Work has begun on the first aircraft, which is due to be completed in 2014. The remaining three aircraft are due to follow in 2016.
flightglobal

US ANGERED WITH FRANCE BY RENEGING UPGRADE CONTRACT FOR E-3F

The U.S. has angered the French Air Force by reneging on a 2010 contract to upgrade the four French E-3F AWACS (Air Warning And Control System) aircraft.

The agreed on price is $466 million, and now the U.S. wants to tack on another $5 million so the promised technology can be degraded.

This is all because some American bureaucrat decided that some of the upgrade technology was too sensitive for the French and had to be taken out of the upgrade.

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BOEING MODERNIZARÁ AWACS FRANCESES/FRENCH E-3 FLEET TO GET MID LIFE UPGRADE

El departamento Defensa de Estados Unidos, ha concedido a Boeing un contrato por 324 millónes de dólares para modernizar la flota de E-3F AWACS francesa.
En septiembre de 2008 la Agencia Nacional de Defensa y cooperacion anunció al Congreso la modernización que se llevaría a cabo, que llevará a los aviones al Standard Block 40/45, incluyendo modificaciones en contramedidas electrónicas, mejoras en los sistemas de radar y sistema IFF. La Armée de l'Air (Fuerza Aérea Francesa) opera 4 E-3F en el escuadrón 00.036 con base en Avord.
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The US Department of Defense has awarded Boeing a $324 million contract to upgrade the French Air Force E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet.
On September 26, 2008 the US Defence Security Co-operation Agency gave notice to Congress that an upgrade programme to Block 40/45 standard may be undertaken in future, including modifications to electronic support measures, a radar system improvement programme and IFF (identification friend or foe) systems, envisaged to cost around $400 million. The Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) operates four E-3F aircraft with EDCA 00.036 based at Avord air base.