Airbus delivered the Spanish Air Force's tenth A400M order, dubbed the MSN111, delivering the 100th A400M. The plane made its first flight from Seville to Zaragoza, where the Spanish A400M fleet is located, on 24 May.
In the same week, the A400M global fleet, serving customers in 8 countries around the world, reached a new milestone by completing 100,000 flight hours.
All A400M operators operate the aircraft intensively for Covid-19 emergency response missions and can carry out joint operations in cooperation.
All these milestones clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the A400M program on all fronts.
New talents
Recently, the A400M successfully completed the refueling test of two air-to-air helicopters in coordination with the French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA), and completed most of its certification targets.
The A400M can simultaneously deploy 116 paratroopers through side doors or ramps that can be opened simultaneously day and night, or free jump. In Spain, in collaboration with the British Royal Air Force parachute test team, final tests have been completed to increase the automatic parachute span to 7,600 meters (25,000 ft) and free jump to 11,582 meters (38,000 ft).
The A400M has also undergone additional testing to expand its airborne capability, including multiple platforms with parachute landing (23 tons). France and Spain also participated in these flights. Another way to deliver cargo on difficult and uneven ground without handling equipment has been certified: distribution of cargo in pallets up to 19 tons (single pass) or up to 25 tons (two passes) on asphalt or unpaved tracks.
The A400M also reached a new milestone after certification flights for automatic low-altitude capability in Effective Meteorological Conditions (IMC). Using navigation systems and ground databases without the need for a radar scanning the terrain is the first for a military transport aircraft. This makes the aircraft less detectable in hostile areas and makes it more difficult and more resistant to threats when operating in such environments.
Operation
In terms of joint missions, the Spanish Air Force supported the French Armée de l´Air in the transport of a Caracal helicopter from Cazaux (France) to Tucson (USA) using the Spanish A400M aircraft. The flight was carried out by CLAEX (Spanish Armament and Experimental Logistics Center) and CECTA (Air Transport Cargo Assessment Cell) to confirm loading on Spanish A400Ms.
Key military missions last year include delivering about 40 tons of food, water, fuel and ammunition to troops in the Sahel region of Africa with a single French A400M aircraft. It was the first A400M aircraft to deliver airborne distribution in a country outside of Europe.
In addition, Germany became the first A400M customer to use the A400M as a tanker on missions supporting the 'Counter Daesh' operation in Jordan.
Life-saving medical evacuation (medevac) missions during Covid-19
During the 2020 and 2021 Covid-19 pandemic, the A400M was used in civil emergency response, civilian medical evacuation (medevac) missions, as well as with Airbus' support to the air force in the transport of medical aid supplies. The versatility of the aircraft enabled rapid conversion to the medevac configuration, which enables the delivery of loaded critical medical supplies from the air.
With proven effectiveness, versatility and unmatched capabilities in operations around the world, the A400M has proven to be a game changer for military air transport and humanitarian missions in the 21st century.
