The French Navy (Marine Nationale) has received its eighteenth upgraded Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol aircraft (MPA).
The delivery was carried out by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) last Tuesday (17), according to the website Naval News. This is the final aircraft upgraded as part of the ATL2 modernization program.
The modernization, which focuses on the ATL2 combat system, is intended to allow the aircraft to remain in operational service beyond 2030 with enhanced performance.
The upgrade was carried out by the aeronautical maintenance center SIAé under DGA supervision, based on specifications developed by Dassault Aviation and Thales.
“The upgraded ATL2 aircraft therefore improve their ability to deal with threats in all weather conditions, whether from submarines, next-generation surface vessels, or land vehicles,” the DGA explained in a statement.
All 18 modernized ATL2 MPA aircraft will now be based at the Lann Bihoué naval air base in the French region of Brittany.
Photo: French Navy. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
