On behalf of the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), OCCAR (Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation) has signed a new contract with Airbus Defence and Space to develop new multi-mission capabilities for the A400M.

 The new A400M capabilities being pursued are known collectively as the Parallel Mission System (PMS), and they aim to help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Airbus and OCCAR are focusing their efforts on PMS updates like:

• Integrating a new mission system on board
• Installing tactical situational awareness consoles in the cargo hold
• Integrating an optronic sensor onto the aircraft

Aside from improving monitoring capabilities, the new system will also help manage drones and missiles launched from the aircraft.

This is meant to make it easier to coordinate missions with:

• Fighter jets
• Helicopters (Tiger and Caracal H225M)
• Ground troops

After development is complete, teams plan to install the first upgrades on a French A400M in 2027, with flight testing planned for 2028. Following this process, the Air and Space Force fleet plan to undergo retrofits to be compatible with a PMS kit.

Airbus Defence and Space is also pursuing other expanded capabilities for the A400M aircraft, such as:

• Long-range jamming
• Releasing drones and missiles in flight using mother-ship function
• Increasing payload capacity to 40 tons
• Firefighting capabilities

Airbus Defence and Space Executive Vice President Air Power Jean-Brice Dumont said, “The A400M is a true Swiss Army knife for the armed forces that use it. It has the capabilities and potential to continue expanding the scope of its missions.”

Dumont added, “With this development, the French Air and Space Force is acquiring an aircraft capable of becoming a tactical command and control (C2) tool in the air.”