Exciting Partnership: Enhanced Support Agreement for French Mirage 2000 Aircraft
The French Ministry of the Armed Forces’ Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance (DMAé) has recently granted Dassault Aviation a new-generation agreement to support the Mirage 2000 fleet of the French Air and Space Force (FASF).
Extending over a period of 14 years, the BALZAC contract encompasses all maintenance tasks for the French Mirage 2000s until their phase-out. Engine servicing and the offerings of the SIAé (Service Industriel de l’Aéronautique) are addressed through distinct contracts.
“This agreement aligns with the DMAé’s strategy for verticalizing aeronautical maintenance, as advocated by the French Minister of the Armed Forces, by delegating responsibilities for support to a solitary primary contractor,” stated Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “BALZAC continues from the RAVEL maintenance agreement for the Rafale, which was awarded in May 2019 for a duration of 10 years, along with the OCEAN maintenance contract for the Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft for another 10 years. Our proficiency as an industrial architect and complex systems integrator positions us to undertake contracts of this nature. We are profoundly honored by this new demonstration of faith from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.”
As a result, Dassault Aviation will be accountable for the upkeep of nearly all the components on the B/C, -5, and D variations of the Mirage 2000 (including those that have completed a mid-life upgrade, previously managed through around 15 separate agreements, similar to the Rafale and ATL2 verticalized maintenance contracts. The breadth includes all electronic systems, particularly those developed by Thales. It also comprises enhanced technical and logistical support services, including a centralized logistics hub at Luxeuil and Nancy Air Bases, a Dassault Aviation footprint in the AIA (Atelier industriel de l’aéronautique – aeronautical industrial workshop) in Clermont-Ferrand, outsourcing of specific NTI2 workshops, and end-of-life management of all equipment to optimize maintenance expenses.
Regarding the oversight of maintenance operations, all participants will gain access to a Mirage 2000 aircraft support management information system derived from the OPTIMAL IS currently being developed for the Rafale under the RAVEL contract. This digital continuity enhances the consistency of reference documentation and the fluidity of communications, enabling the company to meet its long-term aircraft availability obligations.
Through BALZAC, Dassault Aviation is advancing its long-term pledge and expanding its horizons, providing an availability assurance, under a fixed-price arrangement, thereby granting transparency to the French government and its industrial collaborators.
This agreement will be executed by an integrated team that will unite manufacturers and the Forces, building on the expertise that has been cultivated over more than 40 years with the Mirage 2000 and which has reinforced the robust trust relationship between Dassault Aviation and the FASF.
