UK Defence Forum

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation ... -training/

On 25 April 22, XXIV Squadron successfully trained the first frontline Atlas crews in unpaved runway operations, operating from Geronimo Temporary Landing Zone in Louisiana, USA.

Pilots from Nos. 30 and LXX Squadron, were able to capitalise on the excellent training facilities at the Fort Polk Joint Readiness Training Centre as part of Exercise Tenax Puma, allowing pilots and crewman to hone a vital operational skillset. This success forms part of a wider Air Mobility Force exercise that will see A400M Atlas crews operate alongside C-17 Globemaster crews of No. 99 Squadron in a week focused towards shared learning and capability development.

21 delivered....just one more to go....although allegedly some more in the late 2020's perhaps...last one of the 22 due next year.

P8 and a400m conducted search and rescue of a damaged yacht in the Atlantic

An interesting test

It was a nice dream whilst it lasted...

Common sense, it'll never catch on.

written answers 13th Dec :-

https://questions-statements.parliament ... -05/102775

A400m build process

Timmymagic wrote: ↑01 Dec 2022, 11:31 It was a nice dream whilst it lasted...

Or perhaps not...

And in other news..

With more than 100 aircraft in operation, the A400M has surpassed 150,000 flight hours serving nations worldwide

The cancelled Spanish order that was partially completed is thought to be 13 aircraft strong. Assuming we can get it for £150M per aircraft, that puts it as under £2bn. would put fleet strength at 35

new guy wrote: ↑27 Apr 2023, 11:38 The cancelled Spanish order that was partially completed is thought to be 13 aircraft strong. Assuming we can get it for £150M per aircraft, that puts it as under £2bn. would put fleet strength at 35

Great idea, I very much doubt that many would be funded, but certainly I would hope for 8 to bring the fleet to 30.

8 is roughly the equivalent of the lost 13 C130J's in lift terms.

In an ideal world, the RAF would have a fleet of 40 A400's and 12 C17's.

That would provide the necessary lift for the light Brigade sized interventions and deployments the army is being slimmed down to undertake in the future.

Maybe they give us 8 A400's and we give them 12 C-130J plus some cash

Last of the 22 A400M handed over...possibility of a further 6 in the next few years...unless the Defence refresh khybosh' that idea..

Once upon a time in 1999 we were angling for 45...

6. Requests for Proposals have quoted a potential UK requirement for up to 45 FLA and have sought prices for stated equivalent numbers of C-17, and mixed fleets of C-17 and C-130J. Final numbers will be decided in the light of further operational analysis of the requirements, and cost-effectiveness trade-offs between the solutions.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... 544w11.htm

Will be interesting to see which ends production first: A400M or C-130.

Timmymagic wrote: ↑22 May 2023, 17:58 Last of the 22 A400M handed over...possibility of a further 6 in the next few years...unless the Defence refresh khybosh' that idea..

Far bigger priorities in RAF budget alone: AWACS, F-35B, Typhoon AESA, weapon intergrations, MPA protectors e.c.t

Jensy wrote: ↑22 May 2023, 19:05
Will be interesting to see which ends production first: A400M or C-130.

Don't do that to me!! While A200m is meant to come in ~2030-40, there doesn't seem much of what makes the C130 live in the A400m: Evolution over revolution desires. France and Germany still have C130 because:
a. Interim until most capabilities go on A400m, ~2025
b. To fill gaps until A200m.

The simple fact is that A400m is a different aircraft compared to C130, with +50% gains in most areas, and the same STOL performance.
That's because A400m has been designed for modern needs, with the capacity for such. That means that the majority of Airlift missions the A400m customers foresee can be done by C130 if pushed, but A400m can do it better. That said, there are some missions that a KC-390, A200m, and C130 are better fit for. done. Also c130 isn't a special forces aircraft, It's just more so than an A400m.

A400m headed non stop from Brize to Guam, air to air refuelled over Alaska.

https://raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal- ... -exercise/

During the large US-led multi-national exercise the Atlas detachment transported US Air Force troops and equipment from Guam to the Philippines, then worked with medical specialists from New Zealand, USA and the RAF’s Tactical Medical Wing to provide humanitarian aid in a disaster relief scenario, before quickly reconfiguring to conduct a long-range air drop alongside partner nations to deliver equipment by parachute to ground forces.

The A400M Atlas flew non-stop from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire to Guam in the Western Pacific for the start of Exercise Mobility Guardian, the longest flight by this aircraft at more than 8000 miles away, demonstrating the RAF’s ability to reach just about anywhere in the world to conduct operations. The flight crews and ground support worked intensively to complete two missions every day on the 16-day exercise.