Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has been awarded a major support contract by the Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate (DMAé) of the French Ministry of Armed Forces to provide comprehensive maintenance and operational support for the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet operated by the French Air and Space Force.
The agreement covers a fleet of four AWACS aircraft and includes a broad range of services such as aircraft engineering support, combat systems maintenance, and logistical assistance at the aircraft operating base. In addition, AFI KLM E&M will perform major maintenance inspections at its specialized facilities as part of the long-term partnership.
Under this integrated contract, AFI KLM E&M will assume performance responsibility to ensure high levels of operational availability for the aircraft. The agreement is structured as a long-term industrial collaboration and will support the fleet until its scheduled retirement around 2035.
The contract was officially announced during a ceremony at the DMAé headquarters in Paris, attended by senior representatives from both organizations. The event marked another milestone in the long-standing cooperation between the French defense maintenance authority and AFI KLM E&M, which has supported the fleet for decades.
Officials from the Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate emphasized that the partnership has consistently delivered high operational performance and reliability for the French Air and Space Force. Despite the AWACS fleet having been in service for more than thirty years, the aircraft continue to maintain strong operational readiness through sustained maintenance and engineering support.
AFI KLM E&M leadership highlighted that the new agreement reinforces the company’s expertise in complex aircraft maintenance programs and demonstrates continued trust from defense customers. Supporting a strategic surveillance platform such as the AWACS fleet reflects the company’s ability to deliver high-level maintenance services for mission-critical aircraft.
The contract also comes at a time when defense aviation maintenance is becoming increasingly important in the evolving geopolitical environment. Reliable maintenance support ensures that surveillance and command aircraft remain operationally ready to perform critical missions.
With this new agreement, AFI KLM E&M further strengthens its position as a trusted partner for both civil and military aviation maintenance programs worldwide.
