A400m

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SolarisKenzo

Well-Known Member
Sandhi Yudha said:
So first they retire and sell all the C-130Js in the fleet, and then the United Kingdom has scrapped plans to acquire additional Airbus A400M Atlas airlifters, saying it is no longer affordable.

UK scraps additional A400M buy as ‘unaffordable'

The United Kingdom has scrapped plans to acquire additional Airbus A400M Atlas airlifters, saying it is no longer affordable.
www.janes.com
Click to expand...
I know it sounds strange, but there is a huge reform process currently undergoing in european air forces.
It is not only UK that is reluctant to invest in more transport planes, but also Germany, France, Italy and Spain ( and it is not due to the a400m, because Italy doesnt operate it ).
The point is that with the integration of European railroads and highways, many air forces found their cargo fleet to be bigger than their needs.
Take Italy, for example. Their fleet is currently based on KC767, C130 and C27.
Official documents and reports from the air force are that the C27 fleet will be totally converted into Spec-ops support planes ( EW, gunships...).
The C130s fleet will be reduced ( 4 planes will be sold to Sweden and 2/4 will be retired within 2024 ).

The answer to what seems a nonsense is kinda simple.
EATC. European Air Transport Command - Wikipedia

European countries currently operates more planes than they need.

I know UK isnt in EATC, but my post was more about a common policy in European air forces, and their backbone Is a400m...
 
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S

STURM

Well-Known Member
In Malaysian service a role the A400M might perform in the future is as a rain maker. This role is currently performed by.C-130Hs and CN-235s; prior to that by Caribous.

What I found really surprising is that the RMAF has enabled its A400Ms to lay mines; a role it has also enabled its C-130s to perform.
 
Sandhi Yudha

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Ananda said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1602230104574365696

Airbus Defence Twitter put announcement that Indonesian contract for two A400M is officially entered into force. Other Airbus source before talk outside 2 in contract there are also 4 optional.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing.
I actually expected they will go for the A330MRTT, not only to support Garuda and to use GMF's expertise and experience, but also to be able to do refuels to F-16s and of course for the lower costs.

But it is for sure that TNI-AU 's capabilities will make a huge leap with these Mega Herculeses operating besides the normal and Super Herculeses.
 
K

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Airbus and the Bundeswehr have test-launched a UAV from a (regular) A400M for the first time.

Press Release:
www.airbus.com

Remote Carrier demonstrator released and operated from flying A400M for the first time

Germany’s Bundeswehr, Airbus, the German Aerospace Center DLR, and German companies SFL and Geradts have jointly carried out the world’s first successful launch and operation of a Remote Carrier flight test demonstrator from a flying A400M. Multiplying the force and extending the range of...
www.airbus.com www.airbus.com

Video:

The trial is part of FCAS development for plans to use A400M as carriers for swarms of UCAV.

The launcher itself was already tested on a A400M in February. The main difference now is that this time it was launched by a military aircraft of the Luftwaffe (not an Airbus test aircraft) and the Do-DT25 drone launched, after initially being controlled in flight by a control station on the A400M, was handed over to another operator (on ground) for a separate mission and later landing.
 
K

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Turkey has evacuated two A400M from Kyev after having had the aircraft - 20% of its A400M fleet - stuck there since Feb 24th, i.e. for 299 days.

www.reuters.com

Two military aircraft stranded in Ukraine for 10 months return to Turkey

Two Turkish military transport aircraft that had been stranded in Ukraine since the beginning of the war 10 months ago safely returned to Turkey on Tuesday, the defence ministry said.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com

The two aircraft had landed on Feb 24th a few hours before the war started officially carrying humanitarian supplies (generally suggested to have been a delivery of TB-2 UCAV instead) and were subsequently stuck in Ukraine despite repeated, intense negotiations with both sides for a possible air corridor. The crews were sheltered at the Turkish embassy in Kyev in the meantime.
 
John Fedup

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #247
kato said:
Turkey has evacuated two A400M from Kyev after having had the aircraft - 20% of its A400M fleet - stuck there since Feb 24th, i.e. for 299 days.

www.reuters.com

Two military aircraft stranded in Ukraine for 10 months return to Turkey

Two Turkish military transport aircraft that had been stranded in Ukraine since the beginning of the war 10 months ago safely returned to Turkey on Tuesday, the defence ministry said.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com

The two aircraft had landed on Feb 24th a few hours before the war started officially carrying humanitarian supplies (generally suggested to have been a delivery of TB-2 UCAV instead) and were subsequently stuck in Ukraine despite repeated, intense negotiations with both sides for a possible air corridor. The crews were sheltered at the Turkish embassy in Kyev in the meantime.
Click to expand...
A long time for kit and especially crew to be stranded.
 
Sandhi Yudha

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The Indian Air Force is looking for around 40-80 transport aeroplanes with cargo-carrying capacity of between 18 and 30 tonnes. Because of this Airbus has pitched the A400M.
www.janes.com

Airbus pitches A400M for IAF MTA project

Airbus has pitched its A400M ‘Atlas' aircraft in response to a request for information (RFI) by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA)...
www.janes.com www.janes.com
If Airbus can get an order from India, then India will become almost certainly A400M's largest export customer.
 
Ananda

Ananda

The Bunker Group
LM C-130J, Airbus A-400M, Embrear C-390. Guess it is the candidates, unless Japan can manage to put their Kawasaki C-2 in competition. Japanese bureaucracy on defense export, from what I heard still deter some potential customers for Japan Defense Product.

Pity on present situation the plan Antonov and TAI hook up for developing turbofan AN-70 variance going nowhere (at least now). Russian IL-112 seems more suitable for lighter category (as C-295 competitors). Indian seems want to get something larger for their AN-26 replacement.
 
S

swerve

Super Moderator
A400M & C-2 can both lift over 30 tons, & C-130J is at the bottom end of the payload spread, so C-390 looks the best fit in terms of payload. But of course, other factors will be taken into account. I can't think of any other realistic candidates, given the payload requirement.
 
Sandhi Yudha

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The first Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft for Kazakhstan made its maiden flight out of the Seville production line in Spain on 10 June. The Kazakh Air Defense Forces have ordered two A400Ms in 2021, the first one, MSN139, will be delivered to Kazakhstan later in 2024.

www.janes.com

First A400M for Kazakhstan makes maiden flight

Airbus has flown the first of a pair of A400M Atlas transport aircraft for the Republic of Kazakhstan for the first time on 10 June.
www.janes.com www.janes.com
 
Sandhi Yudha

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
According to Airbus, the A400M-program is still not yet without problems.
“Risks remain on the qualification of technical capabilities and associated costs, on aircraft operational reliability, on cost reductions, and on securing overall volume as per the revised baseline.”

www.janes.com

'Risks remain' for A400M as further development and retrofits progress, says Airbus

While development activities continue towards achieving the revised capability road map for the A400M Atlas transport aircraft, Airbus said on 30 October that “risks...
www.janes.com www.janes.com
 
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