Breaking News: Airbus to convert A400M transport aircraft into drone launcher for deep strike support
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
At the 2025 Paris Air Show, Airbus Defence and Space provided a detailed update on the progression of the A400M Atlas military transport aircraft into an aerial launch platform for unmanned aerial systems, in particular for Remote Carriers within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program led by Germany, France, and Spain. The aircraft’s role is being expanded beyond its existing functions in tactical and strategic airlift, aerial refueling, and medical evacuation, to include the deployment and coordination of drones.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The mothership concept allows for the rearming, reprogramming, or updating of drones mid-mission, while retaining the A400M’s high payload capacities and in-flight endurance. (Picture source: Airbus)
Airbus confirmed that several trials have already validated key aspects of this development, including drone launch procedures, manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), and airborne data link connectivity. These developments are pursued under the broader objective of integrating the A400M into the “Combat Cloud” networked warfare architecture, foreseen as the backbone of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.
A significant milestone was achieved in December 2022 when Airbus, in collaboration with the Bundeswehr, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the companies SFL and Geradts, carried out the first successful airborne release and operation of a Remote Carrier demonstrator from an A400M. The test involved launching a modified Do-DT25 drone from the rear cargo ramp of a Bundeswehr A400M. After deployment, the drone’s engines were started in flight, and it transitioned into powered flight mode. Control was initially managed from the aircraft and later transferred to a ground operator. This test demonstrated that airborne deployment and transfer of control between airborne and ground stations were operationally viable. The drone remained connected to the A400M during the mission, validating the transmission of telemetry data and mission coordination instructions from the mothership platform.
Airbus reported that the A400M is being prepared to carry and deploy either up to 50 small Remote Carriers or 12 larger ones, depending on configuration and mission requirements. These drones are intended to operate in close coordination with manned combat aircraft, conducting missions such as electronic warfare, surveillance, decoy generation, or long-range strikes. The mothership aircraft would deliver the drones close to the operational area, from where they would separate and proceed autonomously or semi-autonomously, under pilot supervision. The Remote Carriers are designed to integrate into MUM-T operations, supporting piloted aircraft by absorbing risk, extending sensor coverage, and distributing kinetic capability. These developments are aligned with the FCAS timeline, which aims to introduce an interconnected sixth-generation combat system by 2040. Airbus has also indicated that other A400M variants are under consideration or development, including configurations for electronic warfare, aerial firefighting, heavy combat aircraft, and acting as a high-capacity communications hub.
Data transfer and connectivity were also tested and demonstrated using the Modular Airborne Combat Cloud Services (MACCS) architecture. This system enabled the A400M to serve as a communication relay between the drone and other network participants. The successful transfer of data from the drone to the aircraft illustrated how the mothership could be used to maintain situational awareness and transmit mission updates in real time. Airbus confirmed that this test built upon previous exercises such as Timber Express 2021, during which a Eurofighter tasked two Do-DT25 drones in real time, marking the first documented operational manned-unmanned teaming instance with military aircraft in Europe. Airbus had also previously demonstrated the coordination of five drones by a mission group commander operating from a manned control aircraft, further validating the feasibility of centralized airborne control of UAV swarms under operational conditions.
Airbus stated that the A400M UAV Launcher project was designed and built within a six-month development window using rapid prototyping and a collaborative test campaign. This included participation from the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD 61) and support from the German procurement authority BAAINBw. The test approach employed new industrial methods and was conducted under an integrated systems-of-systems validation environment. Airbus has indicated that further flight tests are planned in 2025, which will explore the deployment of multiple drones in one sortie and refine integration with the FCAS Combat Cloud. These tests will continue to develop elements such as swarm coordination, human-machine interface, and dynamic command delegation. Airbus also raised the possibility of increasing the A400M’s payload in the future, potentially by developing a stretched variant, though this was not presented as a finalized program.
The use of military transport aircraft as drone motherships provides several operational advantages. The A400M, with its high payload capacity and internal volume, can accommodate multiple UAVs along with the necessary deployment systems. Its long-range and ability to operate from short or unpaved runways allow the aircraft to position close to forward areas without reliance on fixed infrastructure. The airborne launch capability permits drones to be released closer to the target area, preserving drone endurance and enabling immediate mission execution. The mothership’s ability to act as an in-flight control and communication node supports real-time adjustments and coordinated swarm behavior. Additionally, using a transport aircraft as a mothership avoids the need for new airframes, leveraging existing assets to extend force projection while minimizing human exposure in high-risk environments.
The airborne mothership concept has historical precedents in multiple countries. In the 1930s, the Soviet Union’s Zveno Project used Tupolev TB-3 bombers to launch I-16 fighters for operational missions against targets in Romania. The United States developed the DC-130 Hercules in the 1960s, which carried and operated Ryan Firebee drones for reconnaissance and target missions until the early 2000s. During the Cold War, studies examined converting large aircraft such as the Convair B-36 and the Boeing 747 into airborne aircraft carriers, but these projects did not proceed beyond design or limited prototyping stages. More recently, DARPA’s Gremlins program tested launching and retrieving X-61 drones from C-130 aircraft using mid-air capture systems, while India’s Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) foresees Tejas fighters commanding swarms of autonomous drones. China has developed the Jiu Tian SS-UAV, a jet-powered drone carrier capable of releasing up to 100 loitering munitions from high altitude. The A400M’s evolving role as a Remote Carrier launcher situates it within this international trend toward reusing transport aircraft to enhance airpower by supporting autonomous and semi-autonomous systems in coordinated operations.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
At the 2025 Paris Air Show, Airbus Defence and Space provided a detailed update on the progression of the A400M Atlas military transport aircraft into an aerial launch platform for unmanned aerial systems, in particular for Remote Carriers within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program led by Germany, France, and Spain. The aircraft’s role is being expanded beyond its existing functions in tactical and strategic airlift, aerial refueling, and medical evacuation, to include the deployment and coordination of drones.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The mothership concept allows for the rearming, reprogramming, or updating of drones mid-mission, while retaining the A400M’s high payload capacities and in-flight endurance. (Picture source: Airbus)
Airbus confirmed that several trials have already validated key aspects of this development, including drone launch procedures, manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), and airborne data link connectivity. These developments are pursued under the broader objective of integrating the A400M into the “Combat Cloud” networked warfare architecture, foreseen as the backbone of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.
A significant milestone was achieved in December 2022 when Airbus, in collaboration with the Bundeswehr, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the companies SFL and Geradts, carried out the first successful airborne release and operation of a Remote Carrier demonstrator from an A400M. The test involved launching a modified Do-DT25 drone from the rear cargo ramp of a Bundeswehr A400M. After deployment, the drone’s engines were started in flight, and it transitioned into powered flight mode. Control was initially managed from the aircraft and later transferred to a ground operator. This test demonstrated that airborne deployment and transfer of control between airborne and ground stations were operationally viable. The drone remained connected to the A400M during the mission, validating the transmission of telemetry data and mission coordination instructions from the mothership platform.
Airbus reported that the A400M is being prepared to carry and deploy either up to 50 small Remote Carriers or 12 larger ones, depending on configuration and mission requirements. These drones are intended to operate in close coordination with manned combat aircraft, conducting missions such as electronic warfare, surveillance, decoy generation, or long-range strikes. The mothership aircraft would deliver the drones close to the operational area, from where they would separate and proceed autonomously or semi-autonomously, under pilot supervision. The Remote Carriers are designed to integrate into MUM-T operations, supporting piloted aircraft by absorbing risk, extending sensor coverage, and distributing kinetic capability. These developments are aligned with the FCAS timeline, which aims to introduce an interconnected sixth-generation combat system by 2040. Airbus has also indicated that other A400M variants are under consideration or development, including configurations for electronic warfare, aerial firefighting, heavy combat aircraft, and acting as a high-capacity communications hub.
Data transfer and connectivity were also tested and demonstrated using the Modular Airborne Combat Cloud Services (MACCS) architecture. This system enabled the A400M to serve as a communication relay between the drone and other network participants. The successful transfer of data from the drone to the aircraft illustrated how the mothership could be used to maintain situational awareness and transmit mission updates in real time. Airbus confirmed that this test built upon previous exercises such as Timber Express 2021, during which a Eurofighter tasked two Do-DT25 drones in real time, marking the first documented operational manned-unmanned teaming instance with military aircraft in Europe. Airbus had also previously demonstrated the coordination of five drones by a mission group commander operating from a manned control aircraft, further validating the feasibility of centralized airborne control of UAV swarms under operational conditions.
Airbus stated that the A400M UAV Launcher project was designed and built within a six-month development window using rapid prototyping and a collaborative test campaign. This included participation from the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD 61) and support from the German procurement authority BAAINBw. The test approach employed new industrial methods and was conducted under an integrated systems-of-systems validation environment. Airbus has indicated that further flight tests are planned in 2025, which will explore the deployment of multiple drones in one sortie and refine integration with the FCAS Combat Cloud. These tests will continue to develop elements such as swarm coordination, human-machine interface, and dynamic command delegation. Airbus also raised the possibility of increasing the A400M’s payload in the future, potentially by developing a stretched variant, though this was not presented as a finalized program.
The use of military transport aircraft as drone motherships provides several operational advantages. The A400M, with its high payload capacity and internal volume, can accommodate multiple UAVs along with the necessary deployment systems. Its long-range and ability to operate from short or unpaved runways allow the aircraft to position close to forward areas without reliance on fixed infrastructure. The airborne launch capability permits drones to be released closer to the target area, preserving drone endurance and enabling immediate mission execution. The mothership’s ability to act as an in-flight control and communication node supports real-time adjustments and coordinated swarm behavior. Additionally, using a transport aircraft as a mothership avoids the need for new airframes, leveraging existing assets to extend force projection while minimizing human exposure in high-risk environments.
The airborne mothership concept has historical precedents in multiple countries. In the 1930s, the Soviet Union’s Zveno Project used Tupolev TB-3 bombers to launch I-16 fighters for operational missions against targets in Romania. The United States developed the DC-130 Hercules in the 1960s, which carried and operated Ryan Firebee drones for reconnaissance and target missions until the early 2000s. During the Cold War, studies examined converting large aircraft such as the Convair B-36 and the Boeing 747 into airborne aircraft carriers, but these projects did not proceed beyond design or limited prototyping stages. More recently, DARPA’s Gremlins program tested launching and retrieving X-61 drones from C-130 aircraft using mid-air capture systems, while India’s Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) foresees Tejas fighters commanding swarms of autonomous drones. China has developed the Jiu Tian SS-UAV, a jet-powered drone carrier capable of releasing up to 100 loitering munitions from high altitude. The A400M’s evolving role as a Remote Carrier launcher situates it within this international trend toward reusing transport aircraft to enhance airpower by supporting autonomous and semi-autonomous systems in coordinated operations.
