France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has announced the successful first flight of the ARCHANGE intelligence aircraft, marking a key milestone in the country’s strategic ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) capabilities.
Developed from the Dassault Falcon 8X business jet, the ARCHANGE (New Generation Intelligence Aircraft) is designed to intercept, analyze, and exploit radar and communication signals at long range. It will play a vital role in strengthening France’s electromagnetic intelligence (ROEM) and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.
The aircraft is equipped with Thales’ CUGE electronic warfare system, a digital cockpit, and the FalconEye vision system, giving it advanced sensing and navigation features. The Falcon 8X platform offers high speed (up to 953 km/h), long range (nearly 12,000 km), and modern avionics.
Three ARCHANGE aircraft will be delivered by 2030 under France’s military planning law, replacing the retired Transall C-160 Gabriel, which served in airborne intelligence roles from 1989 to 2022. While smaller than the Transall, the ARCHANGE offers greater endurance, stealth, and modern systems.
The DGA highlighted that this success results from close cooperation between industry and the military, reinforcing France’s defense sovereignty and its ability to conduct high-value strategic operations in complex environments.
