First Airbus Military A400M for Turkish Air Force Makes Maiden Flight
The first production Airbus Military A400M new generation airlifter for the Turkish Air Force (TAF) has made its maiden flight, marking a key milestone towards its delivery. The aircraft, known as MSN9, took off from Seville, Spain, at 13:56 local time on 9 August and landed back in Seville 5 hours and 30 minutes later. The A400M programme for the TAF is also making good progress at the Airbus Military International Training Centre at Seville, where TAF pilots, loadmasters, and maintenance technicians have already begun their training.
In line with the requirements of the Turkish Air Force, Turkey will purchase ten A-400Ms. The first aircraft will enter the Turkish Air Forces’ inventory in the end of the October 2013. The remaining aircrafts are expected to enter the inventory in parties until 2018.
The New Generation Transport Aircraft
The A400M has been rigorously designed to meet the equipment transport needs of modern armed forces. The A400M can perform missions which previously required two - or more - different types of aircraft, and which even then provided an imperfect solution. Its fuselage external width of 5.64 metres / 18 ft 6 in is equal to that of the A330/A340 wide-body. Its cargo hold has an inside usable width of four metres / 13ft, height of up to four metres / 13ft, and usable length of 17.71 metres / 58 ft.
With a maximum payload of up to 37 tonnes (81 600 lb) and a volume of 340 m3 (12 000 ft3), the A400M can carry numerous pieces of outsize cargo including, vehicles and helicopters that are too large or too heavy for previous generation tactical airlifters, for example, an NH90 or a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, or two heavy armoured vehicles for military purposes. It can also carry a heavy logistic truck, or a rescue boat, or large lifting devices, such as excavators or mobile cranes needed to assist in disaster relief.
The A400M can also carry 116 personnel, or paratroops. The A400M provides a new standard of performance for tactical airlifters, and offers global reach at high speed, whilst still retaining the capability of landing at austere airfields.With a typical payload of 20 tonnes (44 000 lb) allowing to airlift a Cat II MRAP, 20 troops and two pallets over an operating range of 6400 km, the A400M provides a true strategic range capability. With its maximum payload of 37 tonnes (81 600 lb) allowing to airlift an heavy mobile crane, four personnels and three military pallets, the A400M has an operating range of 3300 km. A400M can also carry two armoured vehicles over 4500 Km and maximum range is over 8400 km without payloads.
