Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has signed a contract with OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation), acting on behalf of the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), for the development of new capabilities for the A-400M airplane. These upgrades, known as the “Parallel Mission System” (PMS), aim to equip French A-400M with multi-mission capabilities in the fields of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

The PMS developments focus on the integration of a new mission system on board, as well as tactical situational awareness consoles installed in the cargo hold to monitor various sensors and coordinate missions. They also aim to integrate an optronic sensor onto the aircraft.

This new mission system is designed to integrate additional sensors and communication systems, as well as to manage drones and missiles launched from the aircraft’s cargo hold. Ultimately, the plane crew will be able to coordinate missions involving ground troops, helicopters –notably the Tiger and Caracal H-225M– and fighter jets in a collaborative combat mode.

Following a development phase, the new equipment will be installed on board the first French A-400M in 2027 and tested in flight in 2028. A number of aircraft in the Air and Space Force fleet will then be retrofitted to accommodate a PMS kit.

Furthermore, Airbus Defence and Space is already exploring the development of other capabilities for the A-400M, such as long-range jamming, a mother-ship function for the in-flight release of drones and missiles, an increase in payload capacity to 40 tonnes, and finally firefighting capabilities. All these developments will further expand the capabilities and missions of the airplane, which are essential to meeting the current and future global needs of armed forces.