Daher Aircraft was present at the 70th anniversary celebration of the French Army Light Aviation (ALAT) this month, highlighting the use of TBM turboprop aircraft in transport, liaison and military missions.
The event was held at the base of the Army's 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment (RHC) in Pau, southwestern . The celebration included a symposium and an aerial display.
During the event, Daher highlighted its maintenance, engineering, logistics and services for military operators, in addition to displaying the Kodiak 100 utility aircraft. ALAT currently operates eight TBM 700 aircraft, based at Rennes-Saint-Jacques airport and managed by the Army Aircraft Detachment.
Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of Daher Aircraft, said the company “was honored to participate in ALAT’s 70th anniversary due to the close ties we have with the French Army Aviation – which is one of the most active s of our TBM aircraft.”
The TBM 700 was selected by ALAT in the early 1990s to the French Army's transport missions. The TBM 700A models, the initial version of the family, were delivered between February 1995 and the end of 1999. In 2000, the fleet was supplemented by the TBM 700B versions, which feature a wider door.
The fleet is maintained by Daher under a full operational contract, renewed for the fourth time in 2021, for a seven-year term. In 2010, the French government’s defense procurement agency (DGA) selected Daher to modernize the avionics of all TBM 700s operated by the French armed forces, including those of ALAT.
The modernization was completed in June 2014 and included the installation of the Garmin G1000 avionics suite, with digital autopilot, as well as upgrades to meet civil and European airworthiness certification standards.
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