The French Air Force signed a contract with Babcock Mission Critical Services France on December 30, 2016 to provide seventeen Pilatus PC-21s as part of an overall pilot training programme.

The aircraft are expected to be based at Cognac when they are delivered.

Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pilatus:-

"I am delighted we have finally won another European air force for our PC-21. An exceptionally rigorous selection process based on the strictest of criteria provides further proof that the PC-21 is the first choice worldwide for training military pilots. I am proud that our best-selling PC-21 is now destined to fly for ‘la Grande Nation’. France is already the 8th air force to choose the PC-21: these orders included, we will soon have a total of 209 PC-21s flying successfully from bases around the world. I'm confident that other European air forces will follow France's example"