Operational Firsts, Spare Parts & Napoleon's Sphinx

摘要

Sometimes things change fast. In its December 2015 issue, AIR International reported that the Armee de l'Air (French Air Force or AdlA) would probably buy four C-130J Hercules before the end of the year. A little over a month ago, Laurent Collet-Billion, the delegate-general for armaments at the French Ministry of Defence, told members of the French National Assembly's Committee on National Defence and Armed Forces that the allocated budget of €330 million was not enough to procure four new J-model Hercules. He explained that the Direction Generale de l'Armement (Defence Procurement and Technology agency or DGA) was studying several scenarios, one of which would include two new J-models and two second-hand aircraft. However, on November 10, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress that France had requested to buy two C-130J and two KC-130J aircraft. The notification also included four spare AE2100D turboprop engines, six AN/ AAR-47A(V)2 missile warning systems and six AN/ALR-56M radar warning receivers. The Foreign Military Sale was stated to be worth €580 million, well above the €330 million originally allocated. The French Government is expected to take a final decision on the sale before the end of 2016.