Atlantique 2 17 of Flottille 23F received a special scheme in 2010, marking the centenary of French naval aviation.
The ATL 2 is expected to remain in service until at least 2023. Peter ten Berg
http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #354 SEPTEMBER 2017 // 59
Inventory
Aircraft Number
ATL 2 22
Falcon 50M 8
Falcon 200
Gardian5ORBAT
Unit Aircraft Base
Flottille 21F/Flottille 23F ATL 2 Lann-Bihoué
Flottille 24F Falcon 50M Lann-Bihoué
Flottille 25F Falcon 200 Gardian Nouvelle Calédonie and
Polynésie (Pacific Ocean)IS missions, the ATL 2s began
flying from Jordan in February
2016, with crews being rotated
every month. Between its
arrival and the end of January
2017, 176 missions had been
flown (covering 1,350 flight
hours), during which period
16 GBU-12s were launched.
The ATL 2 should eventually
be replaced by the Avion de
Surveillance et d’Intervention
Maritime (AVSIMAR) programme,
which has been delayed many
times. It could eventually
lead to a mix of piloted
and unpiloted assets.
Falcon 50M
and Gardian
The Aéronautique Navale also
flies 13 maritime surveillance
assets, locally designated
SURMAR (SURveillance MARitime).
For 15 years, Flottille 24F has
flown Falcon 50Ms, based on
modified three-engined Falcon
50 bizjets. The first four were
acquired second-hand and
heavily modified with two
observation windows and a
cargo bay to launch SAR packs.
They also carry a Thales Ocean
Master 100 radar and a Chlio
IR turret and are equipped
with a SATCOM capability. Two
pilots fly the aircraft, while the
sensor operator is located in
the rear fuselage with the radar
console. Two further NCOs
look at the radar imagery.
Four more aircraft joined the
fleet from Escadron de Transport
60, the Armée de l’Air (French
Air Force) VIP squadron, which
replaced them with two Falcon 7Xand two Falcon 2000Dx aircraft.
This second batch of Falcon 50Ms
lacked the stores bay, but last year
Dassault subcontracted Sabena
Technic to complete the work
between 2018 and the end of 2019.
The Falcon 50Ms are usedfor general surveillance as well
as counter-narcotics duties
in the French Antilles and air
security during the launches
of Ariane space launchers.
They’ve also flown in Djibouti
and from the Seychelles on
counter-piracy missions.
Recent missions include
surveying immigration trails
coming out of North Africa and
over-watching criminal groups
leading the traffic. Short-term
improvements could integrate
a ROVER imagery link for liaison
with special forces involved
in counter-narcotics duties.
The Falcon 200 Gardian
aircraft is stationed exclusively
in French overseas territories.
It’s derived from the twin-
engined Falcon 20 and based
on the US Coast Guard’s now-
retired HU-25 Guardian.
The type has a crew of six: a
pilot and aircraft commander in
the cockpit and a flight engineer,
radio operator and two radar
navigators in the cabin. The
flight engineer is responsible for
releasing SAR packs, of which at
least two are regularly carried.
The Gardian provides SAR
coverage for French Polynesia
and conducts surveillance of
maritime approaches, transport
of authorities and public service
missions. Jean-Marc TanguyThe Falcon 50M fleet has
doubled in size thanks
to addition of surplus
Armée de l’Air VIP
airframes. Falcon 50M
5 is one of the original
batch of SURMAR jets,
which also includes
serials 27, 34 and 78.
Dassault Aviation