In a strategic win for Airbus Defence and Space, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces has chosen Airbus’s A321MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) proposal for its Patmar program, replacing Dassault Aviation’s competing bid. The French financial journal reported this decision “La Tribune” on November 7, 2024, marking a significant step in the French Navy’s plans to modernize its maritime patrol capabilities post-2030. Based on the A321XLR airframe, the A321MPA is set to replace France’s aging fleet of Atlantique 2 aircraft, which have been operational since the 1990s, conducting missions such as anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
The French Navy’s Patmar (Patrouille Maritime) program is an initiative to modernize and replace its fleet of maritime patrol aircraft to meet current and future operational demands. This program is essential for enhancing France’s maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, especially in response to evolving maritime threats.
The Patmar program specifically seeks to replace the fleet of 18 Atlantique 2 (ATL2) aircraft, which have been operational since the late 1980s. Although the ATL2s have undergone several upgrades to extend their lifespan, their capabilities must be more matched by newer technologies and complex modern threats, especially in contested maritime areas. France aims to phase out the ATL2 by the early 2030s with a new platform that leverages advanced sensors, extended range, improved endurance, and multi-mission flexibility.