Babcock France has been awarded an eight-year agreement to deliver adversary-aircraft simulation and air-to-ground training for France’s armed forces. The contract, issued by the French Armed Forces Commissariat Service, will be implemented with SDTS and Top Aces France, supporting combat preparation for the Air and Space Force, Navy and Army. The partners are expected to conduct up to 400 sorties and over 1,000 flight hours each year from military installations and civilian airports throughout France. Under the arrangement, Babcock will maintain and operate upgraded L-39 aircraft from Dijon-Bourgogne, while SDTS will manage A-4N Skyhawk and Alpha Jet aircraft provided by Top Aces France. The aircraft will simulate enemy forces during Red Air exercises involving French Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighters, including close-range air combat manoeuvres. Babcock’s L-39s will additionally provide Joint Terminal Attack Controller training. Equipped with Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver technology, the aircraft will enable live-video exchanges between pilots and ground controllers, allowing JTACs to practise target recognition, tactical coordination, friendly-force tracking and directing air support. The new agreement follows an earlier Babcock contract to provide training for French Air and Space Force and Navy personnel, covering classroom-based instruction and practical flying for student pilots, weapons systems officers and future simulator instructors. The training programme uses Cirrus SR22 aircraft at Salon-de-Provence Air Base in southern France and Grob 120 aircraft at Cognac Air Base in western France.
