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Thanks to @TheLastYouSee_psn for the suggestion idea
Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a rather unique French aircraft prototype: the Falcon Gardian 2.
In the early 1970s, the United States was looking for a new jet aircraft capable of performing a variety of maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, and patrol missions for the U.S. Coast Guard. Several manufacturers responded to the requirement, including Dassault Aviation. Rather than developing an entirely new aircraft, Dassault realized that one of its existing designs could be adapted to fulfill the role: the Mystère 20, a business jet that had first flown in 1963 and had already proven itself as a reliable and successful aircraft.
Dassault developed a prototype based on the Mystère 20, equipped with various sensors and detection systems designed for maritime patrol and surveillance missions. The aircraft, designated HU-25A Guardian in American service, was ultimately selected by the U.S. Coast Guard, which ordered 41 aircraft in 1977. The Guardians went on to have a long operational career, performing missions such as maritime surveillance, search and rescue, law enforcement, scientific studies and even patrol operations during the Gulf War.
At around the same time, the French Navy was looking for a replacement for its aging P-2 Neptune maritime patrol aircraft. Dassault proposed a French adaptation of the Guardian, known as the Falcon 200 or Falcon Gardian. Unlike the American aircraft, the French version was primarily intended for long-range surveillance and patrol missions over France’s overseas territories. It entered service during the early 1980s and continues to operate from several French territories today.
However, the Falcon Gardian was designed purely as a surveillance aircraft and carried no offensive weapons. Dassault therefore explored the possibility of developing a more heavily armed version capable of performing additional missions. This proposal, known as the Falcon Gardian 2, was intended to transform the aircraft into a light maritime attack and patrol platform while retaining the excellent range and endurance of the Falcon 200. To showcase this new aircraft, Falcon Garian No. 81 was modified by Dassault to accommodate the necessary equipment and weapon hardpoints.
The Gardian 2 was fitted with four hardpoints located beneath the wings, allowing it to carry a variety of weapons depending on the mission. These could include anti-ship missiles for engaging enemy vessels, rocket pods for attacking lighter targets, and even cannon pods for use against small boats and other lightly protected targets. Combined with its long range and endurance, this configuration would have allowed the aircraft to patrol large areas of ocean before engaging targets at considerable distances from its base.
Despite the concept’s interesting capabilities, the Gardian 2 never progressed beyond the proposal stage. The aircraft was presented at the 1985 Paris air show in an attempt to attract military interest, but the French armed forces ultimately saw little need for such a specialized platform. With the existing Falcon Gardian already fulfilling its surveillance duties and other aircraft better suited to anti-ship and attack missions, there was no requirement to develop an armed version.
Today, what remains of the aircraft is stationed at the Istres base, awaiting dismantling (see pictures).
Falcon Gardian 2 shown here with its missiles and countermeasures pods installed under the wings.
Characteristics
Length : 17.15 m
Width : 16.30 m
Height : 5.32 m
Mass :
- Empty : 10 500 kg
- Full : 15 200 kg
The aircraft is powered by two General Electric Garrett ATF 3-6A-3C engines, each delivering 24.2 kN of thrust, enabling it to reach a top speed of 1,027 km/h and a service ceiling of 12,800 m. It has an estimated range of 3,700 km at a cruising speed of 750 km/h, allowing for long-distance flights.
The crew is notably large for an aircraft of this size, comprising six personnel: a pilot, a co-pilot, a flight engineer, a radio operator, and two radar/navigation operators.
Equipment
In terms of detection and defensive equipment, this aircraft is particularly well-equipped for self-defense. Its primary system is a Thomson-CSF Varan radar, derived from the unit used on the Atlantic (and already featured on the standard Gardian), which enables long-range ship detection. However, it also incorporates new systems geared toward combat missions, such as electromagnetic jamming pods and decoy launchers (with Spirale, Barrax or CEM-1 pods) capable of deploying flares and chaff to evade hostile missiles.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament suite is particularly good, comprising the following:
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2 x AM-39 Exocet missiles (inner wing hardpoints as on the pictures)
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4 x Matra Type 155 rocket launchers
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2 x CC420 30mm gun pods (inner wing hardpoints)
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2 x BLG-66 cluster bombs (outer wing hardpoints)
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2 x CEM-1s (inner wing hardpoints)
This armament enables the aircraft to engage all types of targets, making it a particularly effective combat platform.
In-game, this aircraft would be an interesting addition to the French tree; it is capable of engaging all types of targets with relatively modern weaponry, yet is simultaneously limited by its size and lack of offensive armament, making it a unique aircraft that would complement the French tree in a very interesting way.
Sources
- Falcon Guardian : origines, caractéristiques et performances
- Falcon 200 - Gardian | Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants
- Le Falcon 200 Gardian tire sa révérence en Polynésie française | Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants
- Dassault Falcon-20G F-WDFJ Paris June 1985 | Dassault Falcon… | Flickr
- Dassault-Aviation Falcon 200 Gardian [in french]
- Dassault Falcon 200 Gardian
