France, Germany, Sweden agree to develop new medium tactical airlifter
Blog Before Flight
Staff July 05, 2022 0
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France, Germany and Sweden recently launched the Future Mid-Size
Tactical Cargo (FMTC) project which plans to develop a new military transport
aircraft to replace the C-130 Hercules and Casa CN-235 fleets.
The agreement was signed during the the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace
(AAE)-hosted French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (PFUE)
European Wings event on June 23, 2022. Other countries may soon join the
initiative.
According to the French Ministry of Defense, development of the new aircraft
could kick off around 2026-2027. The FMTC aims to meet the need for a smaller
alternative to the Airbus A400M. Among other capabilities, it will have to
feature self-protection systems for electronic warfare and be able to operate
with limited ground infrastructure such as unprepared runways.
"Beside the A400M, which is on the high-performance side of the capacity,
the initial conception of the majority of currently operating tactical aircraft
(C130, C-295, C-27J…) is now 40 years old, and there is a need for a new medium
tactical European aircraft, lighter than the A400M that could provide a
complementary capacity for tactical transport," an European Defence Fund
document explains.
In addition to being battlefield horses, tactical transport aircrafts are
also key assets for a better civil defence/protection and EU-internal needs,
with critical contribution to disaster relief, search-and-rescue and sanitary
crises response.
The feasibility study will have to identify the needs for transport aircraft in
Europe by 2050, and potential development opportunities among member states of
the European Defence Fund and their partners. The tender will end on November
24, 2022.
Written by Matteo Sanzani
Image: Airbus
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