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February 12, 2025
A321 MPA

A321 MPA

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Announcement: The French Defence Procurement Agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement) has signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space as prime contractor, in partnership with Thales, for a risk-assessment study of the future maritime patrol aircraft programme. This 24-month contract follows on from the architecture and feasibility study launched at the end of 2022.

“The A321 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) has all the assets to become a true flying frigate capable of responding to the wide range of missions entrusted to the French maritime patrol,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice President, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “Airbus offers a sovereign solution that provides the autonomy, availability and reliability required to contribute to the oceanic component of the nuclear deterrence.”

The aim of this new definition study and risk-assessment contract is to prepare for the development and production launch of the maritime patrol aircraft programme at the end of 2026. This study will enable the initial results of the architecture study to be taken further, in order to refine the economic and industrial conditions for carrying out the programme, to guide the technical choices of the systems to be integrated on the aircraft, and to carry out the first wind-tunnel tests.

The A321 MPA is a militarised version of the Airbus A321XLR, designed to meet all the operational requirements of the French Navy, mainly in anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, from low to high intensity, as well as intelligence gathering. The aim is to have a new aircraft to replace the fleet of Atlantique 2 operated by the French Navy from the Lann-Bihoué (France) naval air base by the 2030-2040 timeframe.

The A321 MPA will have a long-range and high-manoeuvrability capability, including at low altitude. The aircraft will be equipped with a full range of sensors specific to maritime patrol aircraft, to which Thales is a major contributor: latest-generation radar with active antennas; an acoustic system using passive and active sonar buoys; electronic and electro-optical warfare systems; magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and self-protection systems.

It will also carry communications systems, including satellite communications, as well as the weapons needed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, including torpedoes and the future anti-ship missile (FMAN). The aircraft’s large cargo bay and the open architecture of its mission system give it a great capacity to evolve throughout its lifecycle to meet the emergence of new threats.

The extraordinary success of the A320 Family – the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft with more than 10,000 aircraft in service and more than 300 million flight hours – ensures that the A321 MPA has long proven availability, reliability and low maintenance costs.

Airbus Defence and Space has long experience in converting commercial aircraft into military aircraft, culminating in the success of the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) , which has more than 90% of the world market (excluding the United States). The company also has extensive expertise in the integration of sensors and mission systems on the P3, C295 and CN235 aircraft, with more than 170 aircraft in service in various maritime patrol and surveillance configurations.


  • This project seems to meander rather than move forward.
  • Last November, Airbus was selected for the project.
  • The process started in 2022, and they are still studying and evaluating three years later.
  • Europe has had a war on its doorstep since February 2022.
  • Boeing’s P-8A, the A321 MPA’s competitor, has nearly 170 deliveries worldwide. Germany selected the P-8A, which had its first mission in 2012. Thus, the A321 MPA is about 13 years behind.
  • The gestation is amazing; you can’t compete being so slow. 

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author avatar
Addison Schonland Partner
Co-Founder AirInsight. My previous life includes stints at Shell South Africa, CIC Research, and PA Consulting. Got bitten by the aviation bug and ended up an Avgeek. Then the data bug got me, making me a curious Avgeek seeking data-driven logic. Also, I appreciate conversations with smart people from whom I learn so much. Summary: I am very fortunate to work with and converse with great people.

2 thoughts on “Another A321 MPA study rather than progress

  1. It seems hypersonic missiles & drones internally are on the spec list, looking at the huge weapons bay. Probably a new forward center fueltank will be developed to manage c.o.g. and provide additional endurance.

    Nose and wingtip optimizations seem likely.

    Combined with new LEAP/ PW1000 engines and the latest powerfull sensors (sidelooking radar?) This will provide the west with a next gen MPA.

    Probably customers will start securing slots this year.

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