Future Franco-German MPA

Germany, France eyeing joint development of new maritime patrol aircraft

e new aircraft is set to replace Germany’s P-3C Orion aircraft and France’s Breguet Atlantique 2 which are currently in service.
The new aircraft is to be ready to enter service by the time its predecessors start retiring. Both French and German MPAs are scheduled to retire in the early 2030s.

Fascinating perspectives. Given that Germany discarded the Atlantic for a fleet of leased P-3 and that French politicians are grown to enter in a catatonic state at the single mention of LM, it should be expected that the future MPA would be built on a new platform. But what could it be?

My favorite guess today would be toward a Q400 derivative (Airbus bought Bombardier and this airplane has much better performances to fulfill the role than the sluggish ATR-72 does).
If a jet, the question remains open. As the possibility of a heavy specific UCAV, what would lead to some tremendous challenges and beyond opportunities for both national industry.

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(Sourced from the News thread – posted by Tango III)