Will the force be with VADER?
France has two VADER aircraft in service with a third expected in 2023. (Photo: Jean-Marc Tanguy)
The first ISTAR aircraft developed by the French Air and Space Force will be sent to Mali in July.
For eight years France has leased light ISR aircraft from CAE Aviation for operations in the Sahel as well as in the Central African Republic, Iraq and Libya.
However, starting in July 2021 the French Air and Space Force expects to deploy its own light surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft (based on the Beechcraft King Air 350) under the overdue Vecteur Aéroporté de Détection, d’Orientation et de Reconnaissance (VADER) programme, formerly known as ALSR.
Two King Air 350s were delivered in July 2020 by Sabena Technics and Thales under a contract dating from June 2016.
A third, scheduled for delivery
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition]()
New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition
The US$234 million award for 16 Sikorsky UH-60Ms preserves near-term production, but funding uncertainty and an undefinitised contract leave the US Army’s long-term Black Hawk requirements unresolved.
-
![V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal]()
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
![AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics]()
AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
-
![Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad]()
Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad
European counter-drone developers are securing early orders in the Middle East while slow domestic acquisition processes threaten to redirect production capacity, expertise and investment away from Europe.
