Airbus A400M Aircraft ~ forcesmilitary

Airbus A400M Aircraft

The mainstay of the RAF’s tactical and strategic airlift is the C-130 Hercules aircraft. A total
of 25 C-130K aircraft have been replaced by the C-130J and future plans include the replacement of the remainder of the fleet by 25 Airbus A400M Aircraft outsize, strategic-airlift aircraft in 2011. The aircraft, which is a collaborative venture involving the governments and industries of six European countries, will support the deployment of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force and will give the RAF a tactical and strategic-airlift aircraft capable of supporting all three Services in peace, crisis and wartime roles.

The A400M aircraft will be capable of carrying a load of 32 tonnes over a range of 2300nmls at speeds comparable with pure-jet military transports; furthermore, the range of the aircraft can be extended by the use of a removable, air refuelling probe mounted above the cockpit. The aircraft will be capable of equipment and chaff/flare dispensers.

The cargo bay of the A400M aircraft will be controlled by one air loadmaster and can be configured for a number of roles: pure troop carrying, or a mixture of troops and support equipment; palletised cargo or military wheeled and tracked vehicles; two attack helicopters such as the Apache or Puma; or a mixture of light and heavy engineering equipment. Offloading equipment or stores after landing can be achieved using operating either at low-level (down to 150ft agl) or at high-level altitudes up to 40,000ft, and it will be able to deploy troops or equipment between and within theatres of operation either by parachute (up to 116 paratroopers), or by landing on short, unprepared or semi-prepared strips. The aircraft will also offer significant improvements in reliability, maintenance and operating costs over the C-130K fleet.

Airbus A400M Aircraft

The two pilot flight deck crew will have the benefit of an integrated, digital avionics system in the cockpit and a fly by wire control system. Additional systems will provide a night vision compatible glass cockpit complete with two head-up displays supported by at least five multi-function displays that will allow stateof the art avionics developments to be incorporated into the flight-deck design, so greatly reducing crew workload. The aircraft will be driven by four Europrop International (EPI) turboprop engines, which will be the most powerful turboprops developed to date in the western world, that will be light, easy to maintain and will consume 20% less fuel per mission relative to a similar turbofan engine.

Airbus A400M Aircraft

A modern defensiveaids suite will be fitted, incorporating radar and missile warning receivers, electronic-countermeasure equipment and chaff/flare dispensers. The cargo bay of the A400M will be controlled by one air loadmaster and can be configured for a number of roles: pure troop carrying, or a mixture of troops and support equipment; palletised cargo or military wheeled and tracked vehicles; two attack helicopters such as the Apache or Puma; or a mixture of light and heavy engineering equipment. Offloading equipment or stores after landing can be achieved using conventional ground equipment, the aircraft’s internal load-roller system, by airborne parachute or by gravity extraction from the aircraft’s rear ramp. The RAF sees the C-17 in the short term, combined with the A400M in the longer term, as the way ahead in providing the UK with a strategic airlift capability when and where it is required.

The Airbus A400M aircraft is tactical and strategic airlift capability from unprepared strips. Short-strip, low-speed capability allows support to front-line destinations. Four advanced turboprops offering reliability, economy and easy maintenance. Range, speed and height comparable to military jet transport aircraft. Can carry up to 116 troops or 32 tonnes of freight over 2300nmls. Two-pilot, flight-deck crew supported by one air loadmaster.