LHT Plans A321neo Special Mission Mods for German Air Force

Credit: Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa Technik’s (LHT) VIP and Special Mission Aircraft Services unit will equip two new Airbus A321neo aircraft for the German Air Force to support various mission types, such as troop transport and medical evacuation. According to LHT, the aircraft will be capable of 18 different interior configurations once appropriate installations are made.

In the passenger transport configurations, LHT says the aircraft will be able to carry 136-163 passengers, while the medevac formats will be able to transport up to six intensive care patients or up to 12 ill or injured patients. It says various mixed configurations for patient transport also are possible.

According to LHT, the aircraft will have configurations similar to a basic airline layout, so medevac features or seats will be anchored to the seat rails depending on specific needs. LHT says conversions can be carried out by the cabin mechanics within a few hours or days, depending on the extent of the conversion, as well as necessary reprogramming of cabin management systems such as lighting and air conditioning.

Lufthansa Technik's Patient Transport Unit
Lufthansa Technik's Patient Transport Unit

To accommodate the medevac format, LHT’s OEM business unit will be supplying the German Armed Forces with 12 of its Patient Transport Units (PTU) along with two reserve units. The PTU provides underlying infrastructure and medical equipment necessary to transport intensive care patients on large aircraft. According to LHT it can be installed in any aircraft within minutes using seat-track adapters, and it is small and light enough to be easily handled by two people. Up to six PTUs can fit in each A321neo.

The two aircraft, which will be operated by the Federal Ministry of Defence’s Special Air Mission Wing, are scheduled to arrive at LHT’s Hamburg base in August and October 2021. Delivery to the German Air Force is planned in 2022.

In May, LHT told Inside MRO it was in close contact with several air forces in Europe that were looking for general solutions for medevac missions in crisis situations. It is also in the concept phase to adapt the PTU with EpiShuttle to “the special needs of air transport for isolated patients, who can receive intensive care monitoring and treatment.

Lindsay Bjerregaard

Lindsay Bjerregaard is managing editor for Aviation Week’s MRO portfolio. Her coverage focuses on MRO technology, workforce, and product and service news for AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week Marketplace and Inside MRO.