A French Air Force AWACS. Credits: Richard Nicolas-Nelson/Air Force.

The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) is to upgrade four E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

The modernisation project will include integration of a tactical satellite data link on the French Air Force aircraft.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) will carry out the modifications on the AWACS aircraft during the period between 2018 and 2020.

The new tactical satellite data link, along with existing satellite capabilities, will allow the in-theatre aircraft to exchange tactical situation reports with distant command centres that are out of radio range but connected to secure Internet Protocol (IP) networks.

The data will be exchanged in the form of Link 16 (JREAP-C) messages through an Inmarsat 4 link.

The new computer terminals, which will be installed on the consoles of the mission system, will implement messaging.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The four French AWACS aircraft have been in operational service since 1992, with plans to remain in service until at least 2035.

“The new tactical satellite data link, along with existing satellite capabilities, will allow the in-theatre aircraft to exchange tactical situation reports with distant command centres that are out of radio range."

Under a separate contract awarded in July, Air France Industries has been tasked to upgrade avionics of the four AWACS.

The aircraft’s cockpit equipped with analogue indicators will be replaced by a ‘glass cockpit’ featuring five multifunction displays.

The Boeing-built E-3 AWACS can detect, identify and display hostile aircraft and friendly aircraft in the same airspace more than 322km away.

To date, the aircraft received several upgrades to radar, computing, satellite communications and air traffic management.

Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


Excellence in Action
Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

Discover the Impact