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January 11, 2022 | International, Aerospace

Le ministère des Armées se félicite de l’amélioration de la disponibilité de ses aéronefs

En décembre 2017, la réforme du Maintien en condition opérationnelle aéronautique (MCO Aéro) entérinait la création de la Direction de la Maintenance aéronautique (DMAé), sous l'autorité directe du Chef d'état-major des armées (CEMA). Sa t'che vise à simplifier la chaîne du MCO Aéro en regroupant tous les marchés de maintenance relatif à un type d'aéronef précis dans un contrat dit « verticalisé », lequel est ensuite notifié à un prestataire unique, avec une obligation de résultats à la clé. En mai dernier, la DMAé avait indiqué que 82 Rafale étaient disponibles en février 2021, contre 70 un an plus tôt. Des progrès avaient également été constatés pour les 67 hélicoptères d'attaque Tigre de l'Aviation légère de l'armée de Terre (ALAT), 31% d'entre eux ayant été considérés « disponibles » en 2020, contre 26% en 2017. Cependant, les points de référence ne sont pas les mêmes qu'en mai 2021. Ainsi, selon ces dernières, 55% des 98 Rafale en dotation au sein de l'armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE) au premier juillet 2021 auront finalement été disponibles (contre 53% en 2018, sur une flotte de 102 appareils). Avec les prélèvements devant être effectués sur la flotte de Rafale de l'AAE afin d'honorer les commandes passées par la Grèce et la Croatie, l'amélioration de la disponibilité des appareils restants est un impératif.

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