France’s top defense procurement agency has formally tasked Airbus Defence & Space with giving the French Air and Space Force’s A400M Atlas new offensive and drone-coordination capabilities, with an in-service target of 2028.
The A400M—currently used for logistics, tactical transport and aerial refueling—is slated to gain the ability to drop bombs, fire cruise missiles, deploy and control drones, and act as an airborne command post during complex operations. France operates 20 of the aircraft.
The “PMS” mission system is the centerpiece of the combat upgrade
The plan hinges on a new onboard suite called PMS, short for Parallel Mission System. It includes an optronic sensor turret mounted on the airframe and multiple control consoles installed in the cargo hold.
“This will make it possible to coordinate the different actors in an operation such as troops on the ground, helicopters and fighter jets,” said Paul Villemin, Airbus Defence & Space’s key account director responsible for the French Air and Space Force. “This mission system will also, ultimately, make it possible to control drones, bombs and cruise missiles dropped from the aircraft’s cargo hold,” he added.
Airbus and French officials describe an A400M that would effectively become a flying electronic fortress. With four TP400 engines producing 11,000 horsepower each, the aircraft has the electrical power needed to run the servers and onboard computers required for these new missions.
With 12 hours of endurance and the ability to refuel in flight, the Atlas could remain over a conflict zone for extended periods.
Commercial pressure is shaping the A400M’s next act
The push is not only about operational demand. The A400M has not logged a new order since 2021, and only about 45 aircraft remain to be built.
Without additional contracts, the production line will stop in 2028—a timeline brought forward after France and Spain chose to accelerate their deliveries.
Airbus is also working on long-range jamming capabilities and a water-bomber kit, which has already been tested by the Spanish air force this summer. The company’s defense division says talks with potential new export customers are at an advanced stage.
The offensive version could strengthen those negotiations, particularly with militaries looking to connect their A400M to an integrated combat architecture such as the future SCAF—Europe’s planned next-generation air combat system.
