French Air Force Orders Nine Pilatus PC-21s
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The Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (French Air and Space Force) has ordered nine additional PC-21s and other ground-based training systems and spare parts from F-AIR 21 (Cognac Formation Aero SAS France). Pilatus will act as the exclusive subcontractor for the supply of the training aircraft and training systems.
The French Air Force originally purchased 17 PC-21s back in 2017 and has been using the training system since then. The new order will reinforce the Air Force’s training programme and the aircraft will be deployed to train future military pilots for the nation’s multi-role lead-fighter. The PC-21s will replace the twin-engine jet trainers, which were previously used for pilot training.
The order will secure jobs in Switzerland, where the PC-21s are produced. The aircraft will be stationed at the Cognac-Châteaubernard air base in 2023, where PC-21s have been in use since 2018. The first pilots concluded their training in 2020.
Besides Switzerland and Spain, France is the third European nation to adopt the PC-21. Over 230 PC-21s are now in service with nine air forces worldwide. The PC-21 is also used to train future test pilots at the Empire Test Pilots’ School in Boscombe Down, England.
