An artist impression of the French Navy's Albatros. (Dassault Aviation)
The first Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000 Albatros maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) destined for the French Navy has conducted its maiden flight, a French Navy official has confirmed.
Speaking at the SAE 2025 Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Technology conference on 28 January, Captain Johann Eidesheim, head of the Naval Air Office, Naval Staff – Plans/Program, French Navy, said the first flight of the prototype aircraft took place in Mérignac, Bordeaux, on 24 January.
Under current planning the first aircraft is expected to be delivered to the French Navy in 2026, he said. Deliveries are planned to be completed by the early 2030s.
Under development for the French Navy's Maritime Surveillance and Intervention Aircraft (Avion de Surveillance et d'Intervention Maritime: AVISMAR) programme, the Falcon 2000 Albatros MPA is a modified version of Dassault's Falcon 2000LXS business jet.
The French Navy is planning to procure a total of 12 Falcon 2000 Albatros MPAs to replace the service's ageing fleet of Falcon 200 Guardian and Falcon 50M aircraft used for maritime surveillance.
The first batch of seven were ordered under a contract awarded to Dassault Aviation on 19 November 2020. The scope of the contract includes the provision of in-service support for ten years.
The Falcon 2000 Albatros has a length of 20.23 m, a height of 7.11 m, and a wingspan of 21.38 m. It has a maximum take-off weight of 42,800 lb and a maximum flight time of seven hours.
Systems and modifications on board for the French Navy units include the Thales Searchmaster multifunctionradar under the fuselage; a Safran Euroflir 410 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turret; satellite communications; automatic identification system (AIS); a search-and-rescue drop hatch; and observation windows.
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