After many years, a contract has been signed between Airbus and the French Defense Procurement Agency to evaluate a new maritime patrol-surveillance aircraft based on the A321 that will replace the Atlantique 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new contract foresees the start of a 24-month study that will facilitate the transition to implementation. Airbus hopes to start the production phase from the end of 2026. The study is based on existing work. As early as November 2024, it was announced that the A321 MPA had been selected as the next French maritime patrol aircraft (MPA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study will set the exact specifications taking into account various economic and industrial conditions that will or could affect the program. A wind tunnel test will also be carried out. The operational aircraft are expected to enter service with the French Navy between 2030 and 2040. They will replace the Atlantique 2. Although the aircraft are aging, they have been significantly upgraded and remain a capable platform not only for maritime patrol but also for surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and even for naval strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on the Airbus A321XLR civilian passenger aircraft, the A321 MPA is the latest proposal for a maritime patrol aircraft based on the A320. The A321XLR offers excellent range and efficiency along with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) 30,000 pounds greater than that of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, which will undoubtedly be its main competitor in the global market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Airbus Defense and Space CEO Jean-Brice Dumont is quoted as saying that the Airbus A321 MPA is \u201ca true flying frigate capable of responding to a wide range of missions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also highlights Airbus\u2019 strong ties to France and the importance of a world-class maritime patrol capability to support the French Navy\u2019s Triomphant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The A321 MPA, he says, offers \u201ca dominant solution that provides the autonomy, availability and reliability required to contribute to the oceanic component of nuclear deterrence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Equipment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While the exact systems to be fitted have not yet been decided and are likely in some cases not yet fully developed, Airbus says the aircraft will be equipped with state-of-the-art radars, sonobuoys, electro-optical surveillance equipment, electronic warfare systems and, most importantly, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD). MAD is a feature that is missing from almost all Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft. The only P-8 customer to have added MAD to the P-8 aircraft is the Indian Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Magnetic anomaly detectors are used to measure variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. A large metal object, such as a submarine, below the water’s surface may appear as a distinct anomaly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of weapons, the A321 MPA will be able to carry torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. There is no word on whether the aircraft will be equipped to continue the Atlantique’s secondary strike role using laser-guided bombs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Export opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately for Airbus, Germany and the UK, both major players in the Airbus group, have opted for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, while Italy uses the Leonardo P-72A based on the ATR 72. Spain has ordered the C-295 MPA and the Airbus MSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Export hopes could be based on European customers still operating P-3 Orions, including Portugal. Emerging markets in South America, Asia and the Middle East offer potential markets for Airbus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Countries around the South China Sea, which face growing concerns about Chinese submarine and surface vessel activity around their waters, would be particularly beneficiaries of a high-tech ASW capability, if it can be offered at the right price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Taiwan, which has the P-3 Orion, could be a market for Airbus, although any export would likely require the signature of several European nations, with France likely to lead the export effort. France, after all, supplied Mirage fighter jets to the country in the 1990s along with air-to-air missiles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After many years, a contract has been signed between Airbus and the French Defense Procurement Agency to evaluate a new maritime patrol-surveillance aircraft based…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1808],"tags":[6569,5013,474,6570],"class_list":["post-22684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-defense-space","tag-a321-mpa","tag-airbus","tag-france","tag-magnetic-anomaly-detectors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22684"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22686,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22684\/revisions\/22686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}