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Deadline model.........Opening date.................Deadline date
single-stage.............21 June 2022.................24 November 2022 17:00:00 Brussels time
Objectives
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.
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.
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.
The Future Mid-size Tactical Cargo aircraft (FMTC) feasibility study proposal for EDF 2022 addresses this coming strategic gap within the European transport portfolio. FMTC proposes a cooperative analysis of the transport aircraft replacement needs on the 2030-2050 horizon and the identification of European development opportunities, among the EDF participating Member States and associated countries.
This topic is an opportunity for Europe to federate efforts by providing the EU defence community (nations and industry) with robust elements to decide what the 2035+ future of EU military tactical transport could be.
Scope:
Scope and types of activities
Scope
The scope must cover the feasibility study phase of the possible development of a future tactical transport aircraft.
Proposals must include at least the following activities:
Feasibility Study for one or two aircraft, depending on the convergence on the requirements by the participating Member States and associated countries;
Preliminary requirements review (PRR) accepted by the cooperating Member States and associated countries, which will confirm the technical, programmatic, industrial and market feasibility of the analysed solutions, giving participating States all necessary elements to select the aircraft configuration that could be carried forward through a development and industrialization phase.
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Functional requirements
The proposition of a new aircraft development would be based on:
1. Intangible:
European Geo return: Development and involvement of European industries, acting as tractor for many European aerospace companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
Export opportunities: Custom made to fit EU partner's requirements, with open architecture to address worldwide opportunities;
Based on operational scenarios & threat environment 2030+ (i.e., Multi Domain connectivity).
2. Tangible:
· Affordability, in terms of acquisition and lifecycle costs. Operating costs below similar available solutions in the market;
· Operations in demanding unprepared runways, hostile environments and tactical intra theatre operations;
· Flexibility for operating different kind of military missions and possibly reconfigurable for supporting civilian needs;
· Logistics capability: ability to carry tactical vehicles that do not fit in existing solutions;
· Multi-mission capability: ability to act as a multi-mission transport platform and be customized for specific roles;
· State of the art development, ensuring availability and reliability of the platform and avoiding obsolescence concerns;
· Sustainability along the entire product lifecycle: from the conception / production by means of digitalisation up to the product use with reduced environmental footprint due to e.g., advanced propulsion system, low weight and more efficient flight capabilities.
Expected Impact:
· Reinforce the European strategic autonomy in the military transport segment;
· Develop vital military capabilities in highly contested environments (e.g., tactical transport, airdrop, air assault) against technologically advanced adversaries;
· Develop EU MEDEVAC capabilities and EU disaster relief, and sanitary crisis response capabilities;
· Promote and protect the European technological and industrial ecosystem, based on a potential new aircraft development;
· Enhance cross-border collaboration (from large industrial groups to SMEs) through the opportunities offered by the several elements of the platform and its architecture.
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Hay ciertos requerimientos que chocan. Por una parte parece, que escarmentados con el A400M, quieren algo más barato y sostenible. Pero después le piden capacidades mayores de supervivencia, con una propulsión más eficiente, electrónica a la última y una construcción más ligera. Otros puntos son algo difusos, como el que dice que tiene que ser capaz de transportar vehículos tácticos pero no se especifica tonelaje ni volumen. Hay cosas interesantes, como que piden precio por uno o dos prototipos para la década de los '30 y también arquitectura abierta. Otro punto interesante es que se ha de ser más polivalente que el A400M, contando incluso con una versión para misiones civiles (¿transporte de paquetería?).
De momento, han firmado Alemania, Francia y Suecia. Sin embargo, viendo cómo van las cosas en el FCAS, lo más probable es que no acabe en nada...