Update: RAAF receives first of three leased Falcon 7X aircraft

The first of three Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft leased by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has arrived in Canberra, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced in a statement on 16 April.

The new aircraft are expected to replace the RAAF’s fleet of three Bombardier CL-604 Challenger aircraft that were introduced in 2002 and are part of the service’s ‘special purpose aircraft’ fleet operated by No. 34 Squadron from Defence Establishment Fairbairn in the Australian Capital Territory.

The RAAF has received the first of three leased Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft, the DoD announced on 16 April. (Commonwealth of Australia)

The Falcon 7X platforms will be operated by the same squadron.

Wing Commander Jason Pont, Commanding Officer of 34 Squadron, was quoted in the statement as saying that the Falcon 7X advanced business jet, which provides a larger passenger load, modern communication, and increased range and endurance, “complements [the] RAAF’s larger Boeing 737 Business Jets” that provide transport for the Australian government.

The jet has a standard crew of three – pilot, co-pilot, and crew attendant – and can carry up to 14 passengers.

“With a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.9 and a range of up to 11,000 km, the aircraft can fly from Canberra to anywhere in the world with only one stop. Its ability to land at almost any airfield provides notable regional and remote airfield accessibility,” said Wg Cdr Pont.

The new fleet will be maintained by Northrop Grumman. No further details were provided.

This article, first published on 16 April 2019, has been updated with new imagery.