The order for two A321LR for the German Air Force has today been firmed up. The two aircraft will be delivered to Lufthansa Technik in August and October next year, making the company the launch customer of the Airbus Corporate Jet version of this popular narrowbody. These A320 family aircraft will complement the three A350 VIP transports which are also on order for the Luftwaffe.
Airbus confirms order for two A321LR
Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) has today announced an order for two A321LR aircraft to be delivered to Lufthansa Technik. These two jets will be fitted out by the Lufthansa facility for use by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
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Once fitted out, these planes will perform a number of crucial roles in their military capacity, including troop transport, MedEvac roles and more. The versatility and capability of the A321LR has undoubtedly led to the decision to employ these European made aircraft for the military.
With this order, Lufthansa Technik becomes the launch customer for the ACJ version of the popular A321LR. Benoit Defforge, ACJ President, commented on the order in a statement sent to Simple Flying, saying,
“We are thrilled Lufthansa Technik has become the launch customer for the ACJ long-range version of the world’s best-selling A321neo. The ACJ320 Family features the widest cabin of any single-aisle aircraft in the sky, providing the greatest passenger comfort and intercontinental range. Lufthansa Technik and the German Government have a long-standing relationship with Airbus and we are proud of this new milestone order with us.”
The German Air Force noted how important it is for the nation to have unrestricted access to these types of capabilities. It stated that the recent COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted this need further.
Building the A321LR ACJ for the Luftwaffe
The aircraft are slated to arrive at Lufthansa Technik in August and October 2021. From then, they will undergo modifications to make them fit for purpose for the German military. When speaking about the conversion last month, Lufthansa Technik said,
“Lufthansa Technik’s VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services business unit will prepare the two aircraft for various types of missions such as troop transport and the MedEvac role (medical evacuation). With the appropriate installations, the aircraft can be used in 18 different interior configurations.”
“Their passenger transport capacity ranges from 136 to 163 passengers. Furthermore, the transport of up to six intensive care patients, the transport of up to twelve slightly or moderately ill/injured patients, as well as various mixed configurations for patient transport are possible.”
With the work done by Lufthansa Technik, these aircraft will be ready to face whatever the future holds for them. The aircraft should be delivered to the German Air Force in the first quarter of 2022.
As well as the A321neos, the German Government has three ACJ A350-900s on order with Airbus. These are to be configured to VIP layout and will replace the aging Airbus A340s currently used for VIP transport.
Dubbed ‘Merkel One,’ the first of the three A350s was delivered to Lufthansa Technik in May and conversion could be completed before the end of this year.