On February 14, the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) took delivery of the 21st French A400M Atlas aircraft produced by Airbus and destined for the Air and Space Force. It will soon join its air base in Orleans (Loiret).
The 21st French A400M is equipped with the latest developments certified by the DGA and the military airworthiness authorities of the six other partner countries of the program.
↪️ Il dispose des dernières avancées certifiées par la DGA & les autorités de navigabilité militaires des 6 autres nations de la #coopération, dont la capacité de ravitailler en vol des hélicoptères certifiée en novembre 2022#NotreDéfense
— Direction générale de l'armement 🇫🇷 (@DGA) February 16, 2023
It benefits from automatic terrain-following capability at very low altitude without visibility, a world first for a transport aircraft that testifies to European excellence in terms of innovation. This capability is a major asset in enabling low altitude entry in very degraded weather conditions of troops or equipment into a theater of operations.
The aircraft also features the latest standard self-protection suite for better tactical engagement in a contested environment for its airdrop missions, paratroopers or even to land an assault in any type of terrain.
See also: RAF received its penultimate Atlas A400M, only one more to go
Finally, the aircraft provides the crew with a wide range of airdrop capabilities. It allows the mixed launch of loads by gravity and ejection, but also the combined launch of materials by the axial exit and of parachutists by the side exits. In the latter case, the use of the raswedge, a platform placed on the ramp at the rear of the aircraft, makes it possible to drop 4 tons through the axial exit, which considerably improves the amount of equipment, food and water that can accompany the parachutists, considerably lightening their individual load.
All aircraft delivered from 2022 are supplied in a final development material standard. The program team and industry are working to complete certification of the latest tactical capabilities, including full automation of launches and high-altitude drops.
In-flight refueling of helicopters from an A400M, certified in November 2022, can be tested from this summer by France, the first nation to receive (in the second quarter of 2023) the refueling capsules designed for this purpose. The Air and Space Force will thus be able to refine the concept of use of this new capability, with a view to eventually authorizing it in operations. It will complement the in-flight refueling capabilities of transport and fighter aircraft already implemented on the aircraft.
