Tactical transport aircrafts are the workhorses of battlefields, fulfilling missions like airdrop delivery, parachutist drop, logistics, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), air to air refuelling, special missions under harsh and adverse conditions, which are critical for the success of military operations. Operations in hostile environments demand e.g., built in electronic warfare self-protection systems, and set requirements on the platform performance/build up in order to be suitable for the task, and furthermore to operate with limited ground infrastructure (e.g., unprepared runways).

Beyond their pure military role, 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.

Besides the A400M, which is on the high-performance side of the capacity, the initial conception of the majority of currently operating tactical aircraft (C130) 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.

Currently, some EU Member States are operating medium payload tactical military transport -aircrafts within their fleet, which can be replaced with growing capabilities, able to cope with the envisaged operational challenges.

This topic is an opportunity for Europe to federate efforts by providing the EU defence community (EU Members States, EDF Associated Countries and industry) with robust elements to decide what the 2035+ future of EU military tactical transport could be.

Proposal must address the maturation of technologies and the implementation of a state-of-the-art data management system, in two main areas:

• Technology and Concept maturation:
  • Progress on Technology Readiness (TRL) process (objective: achieve TRL5-6 in 2027 benefiting as much as possible on dual-use technology) and technologies selection for FMTC;
  • Mature Aircraft Architecture and Concepts, as selected by the supporting Member States and EDF Associated Countries.
• Implementation of new trends in Data management and In-Service support.