France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (Director General of Armament) has awarded Dassault a contract to conduct a deinition study of a maritime surveillance version of its Falcon 2000 LXS business aircraft.
The contract marks the latest step in France’s Avions de Surveillance et d’Intervention Maritime (AVSIMAR or maritime surveillance and response aircraft) programme, which will replace the Aéronavale’s eight Falcon 50M and ive Falcon 200 Guardians.
The initial phase of the AVSIMAR programme had determined that a solution based on the Falcon 2000 LXS represented the best technical response.
The 12-month deinition study contract is expected to lead to an acquisition contract for the maritime surveillance aircraft in 2020. The first three aircraft will enter service with the Aéronavale in 2025.
