By Nathan Gain

French Air Force C-130H Aircrews are set to be partly trained in Belgium, according to a contract announcement issued today by the European "Tenders electronic daily" (Ted).

A French Air Force C-130H airlifter
(Credit: Armée de l'air, J. Fechter)

Won by the CAE Center Brussels NV (Steenockerzeel), this 3.2M€ USD3.8M) contract involves "Full Flight Simulator (FFS) training in a C-130H full body simulator", says Ted. CAE Brussels training center is based in Steenockerzeel, neer the Brussels National Airport. Formerly Sabena Flight Academy, it is the sole CAE training center in Europe equipped with a Lockheed Martin L-100/C-130 Hercules FFS.

Last year, a seven years contract was awarded to Sabena Technics for the training of SIAé’s C-130H B1 and B2 technicians. Starting July 2018, this training will be completed with detachments of expert staff, in Clermont Ferrand, to provide technical support for the first major checks.

The French Air Force currently flies 7 C-130H and 7 C-130H-30, all operating from 123 Orléans-Bricy AB. In January, the FAF officially welcomed the country's first C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft.

France will receive a total of four Super Hercules aircraft — two C-130J-30 combat delivery airlifters and two KC-130J aerial refuelers — through a Foreign Military Sale with the U.S. government, with deliveries taking place through 2019. The first of these aircraft (a C-130J-30 airlifter) was formally delivered to France in December 2017 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Georgia, in the United States.