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the aim of this complete cockpit overhaul is to bring the aircraft into compliance with the new international air navigation standards to enable them to continue integrating into civil air traffic by increasing navigation precision and replacing obsolete equipment. The upgrade will also improve navigation performance for tactical missions.

Led by Sabena Technics, the consortium aims to use this upgrade to enhance the French CN-235M-200/300 fleet’s ability to respond to the requirements of today’s tactical operations. The firm will be responsible for performing all mechanical/electrical modifications to the 27 aircraft and will integrate the relevant avionics equipment during the upgrade process. Meanwhile, Thales will supply its TopStarC global positioning system (GPS) receiver and inertial navigation system (INS), along with the latest-generation of its radio altimeters, which the firm states is “immune to 5G interference to ensure safe, high-performance navigation.”

In addition, Thales will provide avionics derived from its TopDeck suite for the CN-235M-200/300s. This avionics suite is employed by the ATR 72-600 twin-turboprop commercial passenger aircraft and has been certified on nearly 800 civil and military platforms. TopDeck is designed to be simple to use in order to reduce pilot workload and allow aircrews to focus on their core tasks and overall mission