FEATURES
flightglobal.com 17-23 March 2015 | Flight International | 29
pilots who will fly the type for its 70 Sqn have
begun conversion training is evident.
“This task illustrates how we are develop-
ing the use of the aircraft in this early period,”
says Wg Cdr Simon Boyle, the unit’s officer
commanding. “We have been able to support
defence operations while continuing to grow
the experience of the force’s aircrew instruc-
tors, before they begin to train the crews des-
tined for 70 Sqn later this year.”
According to the service’s introduction
plan, further capabilities will be added to the
growing fleet, such as the airdrop of personnel
and equipment, before its declaration for use
as a tactical transport asset from September
- This will coincide with the phased
draw-down of the RAF’s smaller Lockheed
Martin C-130Js, the first several of which will
be retired later this year. This transition will
lead to the A400M force, which also will in-
clude a second operational squadron, being
declared fully deployable by March 2019, fol-
lowing the acceptance of its final aircraft.
Data provided by the RAF suggests that the
A400M will be able to carry a 30t payload – 2t
less than its usual maximum – a distance of
2,450nm (4,540km), 450nm further than a C-
130J carrying just 12t.
Also boasting the ability to cruise at
37,000ft and Mach 0.72, the new type’s range
will be increased to 3,450nm with a 20t load,
and to a maximum ferry distance of
4,700nm. The latter will enable an aircraft
taking off from Brize Norton to fly nonstop to
southern Africa, east Asia or the majority of
North America.GLOBAL REACH
“Every A400M crew will be capable of world-
wide operations carrying passengers, freight
and the majority of loads that we carry today,”
according to 24 Sqn officer commanding Wg
Cdr Dorian James.
By 2022, the current planned out-of-service
date for the UK’s remaining Hercules, the
A400M will have assumed all of the type’sroles, including supporting operations involv-
ing special forces personnel. For this require-
ment, selected crews will be trained to per-
form tactical flying by day or night down to
150ft, and for the aircraft to make high-alti-
tude paratroop insertions from 40,000ft.
With the UK’s A400M acquisition worth
some £2.8 billion ($4.2 billion), much is rid-
ing on the Atlas now delivering on its prom-
ised high performance, to complete a modern
airlift force also including the Boeing C-17
strategic transport and Airbus A330 Voyager
tanker/transport.
As Airbus strives to get back on track in de-
livering A400Ms with the contractually re-
quired level of operating capability, the near-
term arrival of additional aircraft at Brize
Norton should ensure that the RAF keeps to
its schedule to transition from the hard-
worked and less capable C-130J. As one sen-
ior officer notes: “We could not be any better
positioned now, with regard to where we may
wish to project in the future.” ■