TSAMTO, November 23. On November 4, the Minister of the armed forces, Florence PARLY, approved the purchase of three e-2D Advanced Hawkeye long-range radar detection and control (AWACS) aircraft in the United States.
According to the French Ministry of the armed forces, the "Law on military programs for 2019-2025" provides for the delivery of three E-2D aircraft for the French Navy by 2030. They will replace the three E-2C Hawkeye aircraft currently in service with the French Navy. The purchase will be carried out in the framework of the program "Foreign military sales".
As stated, the three ordered e-2D aircraft will be adapted to meet the requirements of the French Navy by integrating a specialized computer developed by the French state enterprise SIAe.
The new aircraft will be stationed at the Lannes-Bigouet naval air base and can be used from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and, eventually, from its successor. The aircraft will provide security for the carrier strike group by performing long-range threat detection and identification tasks, as well as managing aviation operations.
As reported by TSAMTO, in July 2020, the US state Department approved the potential supply of three e-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS aircraft and related equipment to France under the Foreign military sales program, with a total cost of up to $ 2 billion. The request for delivery, in particular, also included 3 APY-9 radars, 4 an/ALQ-217 radio reconnaissance systems, 3 an/AYK-27 integrated navigation and display systems, 5 Link-16 MIDs-JTRS (Multifunctional Information Distribution System / Joint Tactical Radio System), 4 an/APX-122 (A) and AN/APX-123(A) state recognition systems, etc.
Presumably, the first aircraft will be delivered in 2027.