The French Ministry of Armed Forces has reportedly selected the Airbus A321MPA (maritime patrol aircraft) as the winner of the French Navy’s future maritime patrol aircraft (Patmar) program.
The aircraft won out over a variant of the Dassault Falcon 10X business jet in the competition, according to La Tribune.
Both manufacturers have been informed of the decision. However, no formal announcement has yet been made, the French publication added.
Future Maritime Patrol Aircraft Program
The French defense procurement agency awarded Airbus Defense and Space and Dassault Aviation study contracts in 2023 for the Patmar program.
The program aims to replace the fleet of 22 Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft by 2035, when the Dassault aircraft would exceed 40 years of service life.
The aircraft entered service in the 1980s, though it is based on the airframe of the Atlantique, which was produced in the 1960s.
Eighteen of the aircraft are being modernized, with an AESA-equipped Searchmaster radar replacing the original Iguane, a new Wescam MX-20D optronic ball, and new consoles and systems.
Initially, both France and Germany intended to jointly replace their maritime patrol aircraft with the Maritime Airborne Warfare System.
However, in 2021 the Franco-German program collapsed after Berlin decided to buy five Boeing P-8 Poseidons as an urgent replacement for its P3C Orion fleet due to problems with reliability.
Three more P-8s were ordered later in 2022.
Airbus A321MPA
Airbus unveiled the A321MPA concept at the Euronaval 2024 defense exhibition in Paris last week.
It is based on the A321XLR (Extra Long Range) commercial passenger jet, which offers an endurance of 11 hours and significant payload capacity, enabling the installation of an array of mission-specific equipment.
The aircraft reportedly has a long ammunition bay underneath the fuselage and will carry all its ammunition internally.
Thales will provide the sensor suite for the aircraft, which will be fitted with a tail-mounted magnetic anomaly detector.
Having secured the potentially lucrative contract, Airbus hopes to make a dent in the global maritime patrol aircraft market, which has been dominated by the P-8A Poseidon in recent years.