France is making heavy use of a specialist aero-medical evacuation (medevac) module for its recently acquired Airbus Defence and Space (DS) A330-200 Phénix Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft as part of the nation’s response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Armée de l’Air has utilised its Phénix tanker-transport aircraft fitted with the Morphée medevac module in its response to the coronavirus. (French Air Force)
NATO reported on 8 April that the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air: AdlA) had flown six missions with the ‘Module de réanimation pour patient à haute élongation d’évacuation’ (Morphée) unit since 18 March, with each mission carrying multiple patients.
“The A330 MRTT flights have been conducted within the framework of Operation ‘Résilience’,” NATO said. “This operation represents the French armed forces’ contribution to fighting Covid-19 in France. The [French] Air Force has employed several of its aircraft and helicopters in support of Operation ‘Résilience’.”
As noted by NATO, the Morphée module, which is the French name for Morpheus, the Ancient Greek god of sleep, was first fitted to the AdlA’s Boeing KC/C-135 aircraft before being certified for use aboard the Phénix in December 2019.
With two of its 12 Phénix MRTTs so far delivered, the Armée de l’Air has flown six medevac missions with multiple patients using the aircraft fitted with the Morphée module. (French Air Force)
“The module allows the [French] Air Force to transform a military plane originally designed for cargo and passenger transport or air-to-air refuelling into a real flying hospital with an intensive care unit,” NATO said, adding that, with the module fitted, a Phénix aircraft can carry six to 12 seriously ill patients and their accompanying medical staff more than 10,000 km.
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