Presidente francés realiza su primer vuelo en el "Air Sarko"

Ha sido utilizado por primera vez el nuevo avión presidencial de Francia, un Airbus A330 modernizado, para desplazamiento del presidente francés a la reunión del G20 en Seul.
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Francia compra 8 CN-235 debido al retraso del A400M/France Orders 8 CN-235 Transports Pending A400M Deliveries

La dirección general de armamento francesa (DGA) ha hecho un pedido de ocho Casa CN-235 de transporte por valor de 225 millones de euros, como medida transitoria ante el retraso del A400M airlifter. El contrato fue firmado el 25 de marzo e incluye el apoyo inicial de EADS Casa, con entregas previstas a la Fuerza Aérea Francesa entre 2011 y 2013. Los ocho nuevos aviones se unirán a los 19 CN-235 ya operativos. El jefe de la DGA ha declarado al parlamento que la actual flota de transportes tan solo cubre el 25 por ciento de las necesidades, y muchos aviones se encuentran anticuados y al final de su vida operativa.
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France's Direction Générale pour l'Armement (DGA) has ordered eight Casa CN-235 transport aircraft for 225 million euros ($305 million) as a stopgap measure pending delivery of the larger A400M airlifter, the procurement office said April 1.
"In line with the decision of the Ministry of Defense taken at the end of last year at a ministerial investment committee, the Direction Générale pour l'Armement has ordered 8 light transport aircraft of the Casa CN-235 type," the DGA said in a statement The contract, signed March 25, includes initial service support from EADS Casa, with deliveries to the French Air Force scheduled between 2011 and 2013.
The eight new aircraft will join the 19 CN-235 planes in service and allow missions to be better distributed among the Transall C-160, Hercules C-130 and Casa CN-235s flown by the Air Force.
DGA chief Laurent Collet-Billion told a parliamentary hearing March 24 that the present fleet of aging transports met only about 25 percent of the cargo mission set out in the white paper on defense and national security. Some aircraft are more than 40 years old and are costly to maintain. A major concern of the service is the difficulty in maintaining pilot skills and flight hours with the present fleet.
The twin-engine propeller Casa CN-235 performs logistical supply and parachute drops. The plane has a range of 3,500 kilometers and carries 5 tons of cargo or 40 passengers. A first delivery of the A400M aircraft in its basic cargo-carrying configuration is due in 2013, with an expected entry into service the following year.

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.