Dassault Falcon 8X ARCHANGE SIGINT aircraft enters flight testing phase to replace France’s retired Gabriel fleet
July 30, 2025
France has begun flight testing its first Dassault Falcon 8X ARCHANGE signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, restoring a critical airborne surveillance capability lost with the early retirement of its C-160G Gabriel fleet.
ARCHANGE, which stands for Avion de Renseignement à CHArge utile de Nouvelle GEnération, or roughly ‘new-generation payload intelligence aircraft,’ is a key pillar of France’s Military Programming Law 2024-2030. It is designed to enhance national autonomy and ISR capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions.
What’s different on the Dassault Falcon 8X ARCHANGE?
Based on the Dassault Falcon 8X, the ARCHANGE aircraft combines the long-range, high-altitude performance of a proven business jet platform with advanced electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities.
Its modern sensors and AI-driven processing ensure France can effectively counter advanced electronic warfare threats.
Central to ARCHANGE is the Thales CUGE (Capacité Universelle de Guerre Électronique) payload. This system combines multi-polarisation antennas, housed under the belly, to intercept radar and communication signals. AI-driven signal processing onboard allows for real-time assessment and classification of signals.
First flight of the "Archange", the future strategic intelligence plane of the French Air Force.
— Harry Boone (@Harry_Boone) July 25, 2025
A Dassault Aviation Falcon 8X "bizjet" equipped with the Thales new-generation payload CUGE (universal electronic warfare capability).
Delivery of three planes expected before 2030 pic.twitter.com/yQ8j0TUDCH
Onboard, the ARCHANGE aircraft has a reconfigured cabin that houses multiple SIGINT operator stations, onboard data processing servers and secure communications equipment. Further details are classified, but likely include electromagnetic shielding, extra cooling, and dedicated power supplies to support high-demand sensors.
ARCHANGE will conduct a wide range of missions, including radar and electronic order of battle mapping (ROEM), communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), and real-time signal interception.
It will also support electronic warfare (EW) tasks, such as detecting and analysing radar emissions, assessing countermeasures, and delivering tactical intelligence to multiple users in real time.
ARCHANGE will fill a years-long gap in French airborne intelligence
France retired its two ageing C-160G Gabriel aircraft in 2022, three years earlier than planned due to high maintenance costs and limited availability. This left a significant shortfall in airborne intelligence collection.
In the absence of a dedicated manned SIGINT aircraft, France relied on a patchwork of systems. These included a Saab 340 SIGINT leased from Sweden, Mirage 2000D fighters with ASTAC pods and E-3 AWACS. These systems offered partial coverage, but lacked the endurance, capacity and multi-mission integration of a dedicated SIGINT platform like ARCHANGE.
The ARCHANGE programme will replace both C-160Gs with three Falcon 8X jets by 2030, restoring and enhancing France’s strategic electronic surveillance capabilities.
The Falcon 8X first flew in February 2015 and entered commercial service in 2016. It can fly up to 12,000 kilometres non-stop, with a service ceiling exceeding 15,500 metres.
The aircraft uses digital fly-by-wire controls and features the FalconEye combined vision system, which enhances pilot situational awareness in all weather conditions.
This tri-jet is renowned for its efficiency, range, and agility, making it well-suited for long-duration intelligence missions.
While the Falcon 8X is widely used for business and VIP transport, no other country currently operates it in a full-spectrum SIGINT or anti-submarine warfare configuration.
Dassault’s flexible Falcon platform architecture supports diverse missions — from maritime surveillance to electronic warfare — and nearly 10% of the global Falcon fleet serves military or government operators.
The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) ordered three Falcon 8X ARCHANGE aircraft in December 2019. The aircraft will be based at Évreux-Fauville Air Base 105, home to Electronic Squadron “Dunkerque”, where crews will train on ground-based simulators.
