After many years of special mission A320 proposals, a contract has been signed between Airbus and the French Defense Procurement Agency to assess an A321 based MPA to replace the Atlantique 2.
The new contract provides for the launch of a 24-month risk assessment and reduction study which will ease the transition between the concept and production phases. Airbus hopes to kick off the production phase from the end of 2026. The study builds on existing work from the architecture and feasibility study carried out between 2022 and 2024, and follows the reports in November 2024 that the A321 MPA had been chosen as France’s next maritime patrol aircraft (MPA).
In the study, the exact specifications of the aircraft required will be ironed out, taking into account various economic and industrial conditions that will affect or could affect the program. Wind tunnel testing will also be carried out.
Operational aircraft are hoped to enter service with the French Navy between 2030 and 2040. They will replace the Atlantique 2, a Dassault Aviation-produced advancement of the 1960s era Bréguet Atlantique, which was first produced and delivered during the 1980s. Though the airframes are aging, they have received a fairly consistent program of upgrades which sees them remain a capable platform not only for maritime patrol but for general intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike.
Based on the Airbus A321XLR civilian passenger aircraft, which entered passenger service on Nov. 24, 2024, the A321 MPA is the newest iteration of a long line of proposed A320-based maritime patrol aircraft offerings. Previously, none of these proposals had made it past the drawing board.
The A321XLR offers exceptional range and efficiency along with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) 30,000 lbs in excess of that of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, which will undoubtedly be its main competitor in the global market. In the civilian world, the aircraft’s launch customer was Spanish airline Iberia. The XLR has also been ordered by American Airlines, United Airlines, Qantas, Icelandair, JetBlue, and Air Canada, among others. It is seen as the most direct successor to much-loved long-range narrowbody Boeing 757, and might see future orders from military 757 operators like the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space Jean-Brice Dumont refers to the Airbus A321 MPA as “a true flying frigate capable of responding to the wide range of missions entrusted to the French maritime patrol”.
He also emphasizes Airbus’ strong roots in France, and the importance of a world class maritime patrol capability in supporting a submarine based nuclear deterrent like the French Navy’s Triomphant class ballistic missile submarines. The A321 MPA, he says, offers “a sovereign solution that provides the autonomy, availability and reliability required to contribute to the oceanic component of the nuclear deterrence”.
Though the exact systems that will be fitted are still to be decided, and likely in some cases yet to be fully developed, Airbus says the aircraft will be equipped with a latest generation radar, a full complement of sonobuoys, electro-optical surveillance equipment, electronic warfare systems, and, most notably, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD). Formerly a mainstay on almost all maritime patrol aircraft, the MAD boom is one feature notably missing from almost all Boeing P-8 Poseidons. The only P-8 customer to have specified a MAD for their P-8 aircraft is the Indian Navy.
Magnetic anomaly detectors on fixed wing aircraft most commonly take the form of a cylindrical or conical boom extending from the tail of the fuselage. They are clearly visible on the P-3 Orion and the Atlantique. They have also been fitted to anti-submarine helicopters. On U.S. Navy Seahawks they take a shape similar to a rocket, painted bright yellow or orange and mounted on the side of the fuselage. The antenna is lowered towards the water when in operation. On both types of aircraft, they are used to measure the variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. A large metal object, like a submarine, below the water’s surface can show up as a particular anomaly.
For weapons, the A321 MPA will be able to carry torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. There is no mention as to whether the aircraft will be outfitted to continue the Atlantique’s secondary strike role using laser guided bombs.
Export Potential
Unfortunately for Airbus, the years of waiting for a launch customer for an A320 series MPA meant the ship has sailed for some of the European nations who would be its natural customers in this area. Germany and the United Kingdom, both major players in the Airbus conglomerate, have opted for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, while Italy operates the ATR 72-based Leonardo P-72A. Spain, meanwhile, have ordered the C-295 MPA and MSA, another Airbus product. The Netherlands, who, along with Germany and Italy, formerly operated the Atlantique MPA, have now axed its military MPA capability in its entirety, handing the responsibility to Coastguard operated DHC-8s.
First @BoeingDefense P-8A #Poseidon 63+01 for @CdrDeuNavalAir @deutschemarine has been revealed. Delivery planned for the summer. pic.twitter.com/MQkbpDWVAY
— Tony Osborne (@Rotorfocus) February 4, 2025
Remaining hopes could rest on the European operators who still soldier on with the P-3 Orion, including Portugal. Portugal, with its long Atlantic coastline combined with the mid-Atlantic Azores, has a wide area to cover for maritime patrol and search and rescue tasks, which would fit naturally with the A321XLR’s excellent endurance.
Emerging markets in South America, Asia, and the Middle East offer another place for Airbus to look for new entries in their order books, especially if the over-land capabilities of the Atlantique can be carried over to the new airframe. Countries around the South China Sea, who face increasing concerns over the activity of Chinese submarines and surface vessels around their waters, would be particular beneficiaries of a high-end ASW capability if it can be offered at the right price.
Similarly, Taiwan currently operates the P-3 Orion but the complicated nature of U.S. relations with the People’s Republic of China means a successful P-8 Poseidon bid might not be possible. Though as an Airbus group effort, any export would likely require the sign-off of multiple European nations, France as the launch customer would likely lead export efforts, and France previously supplied Mirage fighter aircraft to the country in the 1990s along with air-to-air missiles. That being said, a great deal of controversy still surrounds this deal.
Export successes are somewhat unlikely at this stage, but once the program matures and we move closer to airworthy test airframes the A321 MPA will almost certainly become a regular attendee at trade shows throughout the world.
