The French Defence Procurement Agency, known as the Direction Générale de l’Armement, has awarded a significant contract to Airbus Defence and Space, in partnership with Thales, for a risk-assessment study concerning France’s next-generation maritime patrol aircraft. This 24-month contract follows an earlier architecture and feasibility study launched at the end of 2022, indicating a continued push towards modernising the nation’s maritime surveillance capabilities.
Graphic: Airbus
The focus of this study is the A321 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft), a militarised variant of the Airbus A321XLR. This aircraft is poised to fulfil the operational demands of the French Navy, particularly in the realms of anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, spanning from low to high intensity conflicts, as well as critical intelligence gathering missions. The A321 MPA is intended to supersede the current Atlantique 2 fleet, which has been in service since the 1980s, with the new platform expected to enter service between 2030 and 2040. The new aircraft is designed to have long-range and high-manoeuvrability, even at low altitudes, according to Airbus.
Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice President, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space, stated that the A321 MPA has the potential to be a “true flying frigate capable of responding to the wide range of missions entrusted to the French maritime patrol”. Dumont also emphasized that Airbus is offering a “sovereign solution that provides the autonomy, availability and reliability required to contribute to the oceanic component of the nuclear deterrence”.
The A321 MPA will be fitted with a comprehensive suite of advanced sensors. These will include a latest-generation radar with active antennas, an acoustic system utilising both passive and active sonar buoys, as well as electronic and electro-optical warfare systems. The platform will also include magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) capabilities and self-protection systems. Thales is a major contributor to the sensor technology, which reflects a strong French industrial partnership in this project. In addition to the sensor package the aircraft will feature robust communications systems, including satellite communications, and will be armed with weapons including torpedoes and the future anti-ship missile (FMAN). The aircraft’s design incorporates a large cargo bay and an open mission system architecture, enhancing its adaptability and ensuring it can evolve to meet new threats as they emerge.
The current study will refine the economic and industrial aspects of the program, while also guiding technical decisions concerning the integration of the systems on the aircraft, as well as conducting initial wind-tunnel tests. The A321 MPA benefits from the proven track record of the A320 family, which has over 10,000 aircraft in service, and more than 300 million flight hours, which ensures that the A321 MPA will have proven reliability and low maintenance costs. Airbus has a long history of converting commercial aircraft into military use, most notably with the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). The company also has extensive experience in integrating sensors and mission systems on aircraft such as the P-3, C295 and CN235.
This risk assessment study is a crucial step towards the development and production launch of the maritime patrol aircraft program, currently targeted for the end of 2026.
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