DefenceTalkAirbus said Tuesday it had successfully tested its A400M military transporter as a water bomber as heatwaves cause an increasing number of wildfires during the summer in Europe. “Airbus has successfully tested a removable firefighting demonstrator kit on the A400M new generation airlifter during a flight test campaign in Spain,” the European plane maker said […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-tests-a400m-military-plane-as-water-bomber-79127/

DefenceTalkThe Airbus A400M new generation airlifter has achieved a new decisive milestone after the certification of its Automatic Low Level Flight capability, offering a unique in its class capability for a military transport aircraft. The certification campaign, performed in April above the Pyrenees and central France, involved operations down to 500ft, including transitions from low […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-a400m-achieves-automatic-low-level-flight-certification-75685/

DefenceTalkHaving successfully passed the on-site acceptance test, the French armed forces’ new cargo hold simulator for the European Airbus A400M transport plane officially entered service on 31 January 2020. The new simulator is the now most advanced item of equipment at the Cargo Training Center, which is operated by the French Army at a site […]https://www.defencetalk.com/rheinmetall-to-supply-airbus-a400m-cargo-hold-simulator-for-french-armed-forces-74531/

DefenceTalkGerman lawmakers are set to hear about how Germany’s military, the Bundeswehr, has access to less than 50 percent of many major weapons systems. The findings are the latest to underscore problems in the armed forces. Many primary weapons systems in the Bundeswehr are not available for training exercises or deployment, according to a new […]https://www.defencetalk.com/limited-number-of-weapons-in-german-military-ready-for-action-report-71514/

DefenceTalkMany Mobility airframes from 11 international countries are attending Mobility Guardian, including the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas as it makes its debut in a large-scale exercise. The tactical airlifter is comparable to the C-130 Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster III. Capable of all major components of airlift, including transport, airdrops and aeromedical evacuation, it […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raf-a400-atlas-debuts-during-mobility-guardian-70284/

DefenceTalkDelays to the Airbus A400M plane meeting its full specifications could leave the German air force without transport aircraft after 2021, according to a confidential report. “Given the under-financing of the programme and the compensation claims over delays in delivery, Airbus will not be able to make the necessary investments to make the needed improvements,” […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a400m-delays-could-leave-german-air-force-hanging-69934/

DefenceTalkIndra will equip Spanish A400M aircraft with its InShield infrared countermeasure system (DIRCM or Directional InfraRed Counter Measures), to protect said aircraft from surface-to-air missile attacks. The contract awarded by the Ministry of Defense for the characterization and verification of the first unit is worth 4 million euros and will run until 2018. The Spanish […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indras-inshield-system-to-protect-spanish-a400m-aircraft-from-missile-attacks-67680/

DefenceTalkIndonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Marshal Agus Supriatna, revealed that he has conducted a study to replace Hercules aircraft with new transport aircraft. “We have conducted a study to replace C-130 Hercules aircraft with the new ones either from France, the United States, or Russia, but the replacement depends on the government,” Supriatna […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indonesian-air-force-plans-to-replace-c-130-hercules-64859/

DefenceTalkThe Ministry of Defence is pleased to announce it has taken delivery of its third A400M Atlas aircraft which has flown back to the UK. The next-generation transport aircraft took off from the assembly plant in Seville, Spain, and landed at its new home at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last night following the two […]https://www.defencetalk.com/latest-a400m-transport-aircraft-is-delivered-to-the-royal-air-force-64821/

DefenceTalkFrance: Airbus Defence and Space is about to recommence deliveries of Airbus A400M aircraft following the lifting of all remaining flight restrictions on new production aircraft by Spanish regulator DGAM yesterday. As a result, all A400Ms are now cleared for flight provided they have undergone the checks specified by the manufacturer in the Alert Operator […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-resumes-a400m-deliveries-64608/