France Modernizing Its KC-135s
Jan 21, 2009 13:58 EST
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France’s DGA recently announced that they would be modernizing the avionics in the Armee de l’Air’s 14 C-135FR aerial tankers, in order to keep them compliant with ICAO regulations for operation in civilian airspace. The EUR 37 million contract will be handled by Air France.
The first modernized aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2011, with the rest re-entering service between 2011-2013. The modernization will allow France to keep the aircraft in service until at least 2015. By that time, the DGA hopes to begin replacing France’s C-135, A310, and A340 aircraft with a single single multi-role tanker-transport aircraft type. That will almost certainly be the Airbus A330-200 MRTT, which has been ordered by Australia, Britain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and (briefly) by the US Air Force’s canceled KC-X program. DGA release [in French].
