RAF receives first A400M at RAF Brize Norton
The first A400M airlifter for the Royal Air Force (RAF) has been officially delivered by Airbus Defence and Space at a ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.
The UK has 22 A400M on order in total under a £2.8bn programme, with the aircraft to be known as the A400M Atlas in RAF service. The fleet will be based at RAF Brize Norton.
The A400M will bring advanced air mobility capabilities to the RAF, where it will replace the C-130 Hercules in service as the mainstay of the heavy-lift fleet and operate alongside the RAF’s Voyager multi-role tanker transport fleet. With powerful engines and advanced aerodynamic design, the aircraft is able to cruise at jet-like speeds and altitudes over intercontinental ranges, and operate repeatedly from short and unprepared airstrips close to the scene of military action or humanitarian crisis.
With a cargo capacity of 32 tonnes and a hold optimised for carriage of heavy vehicles, helicopters or cargo pallets, the aircraft is capable of supporting a wide range of operational scenarios.
Domingo Ureña Raso, executive vice president military aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space, said: ‘It is an enormous pleasure to see the A400M entering service with the RAF which is one of the leading exponents of military air mobility worldwide. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all our employees, especially those in the UK, as well as OCCAR and our UK customer for making this day possible.
‘Airbus Defence and Space is today privileged to be the biggest provider of large aircraft to the RAF and we are absolutely committed to executing that responsibility to the very best of our abilities for many years to come.’
The UK is the third country to operate the aircraft, after France and Turkey.
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