Transporter, tanker, lifesaver: Ten years of the A400M in the Bundeswehr

The Airbus A400M has been flying for the German Air Force for 10 years - and still has a long life ahead of it. Here are ten facts everyone should know.

1. Number one in Germany

   On December 18 2014, Airbus handed over the first A400M to the Bundeswehr. One day later the aircraft landed in Wunstorf at the 62nd Air Transport Wing (LTG 62), the home base of Germany’s A400Ms. As of December 2024, Airbus has delivered 48 of the 53 A400Ms ordered to the German Armed Forces. 47 of the aircraft delivered are stationed at the air base in Wunstorf, and one aircraft is at Airbus in Seville for testing the self-protection system.

2. 51,000 hours in the air

   As of November 2024, the A400M has completed over 51,000 flight hours for the German Armed Forces, 25,000 of which have been completed since January 2022 alone. This shows that the aircraft is being used more and more frequently to support the missions of the German Armed Forces and their allies, in the face of an increasingly difficult geopolitical security situation.

3. 44,000 horsepower

   Each of the A400M’s four turboprop engines has almost 11,000 horsepower (hp). This gives the A400M a total of 44,000 hp, which drives it to a top speed of up to 750 km/h. The military transporter has a maximum range of over 8,700 km. At full payload (37 tonnes), it can fly over 3,300 km – and even take off and land on unpaved runways.

4. Sixteen white rhinos

   The A400M can load and transport up to 37 tonnes. This roughly corresponds to the weight of 16 white rhinos. The Bundeswehr uses the aircraft to carry an NH90 transport helicopter, a Puma infantry fighting vehicle or four Wolf all-terrain vehicles, among other things. 116 paratroopers can fit into the A400M. It can also transport humanitarian aid equipment such as heavy excavators or fire engines.

5. Flying hospital

   The A400M is not only used by the German Armed Forces to transport troops, heavy equipment and humanitarian aid supplies to wherever they are needed. The air force also uses the aircraft as a flying hospital. In the MedEvac configuration, the aircraft carries six passenger transport units, two of which are equipped for intensive care.

6. Flying gas station

   The A400M is also used by the Bundeswehr for in-flight refueling. In its basic configuration, the aircraft  can carry 63,500 litres of fuel and refuel two Eurofighters simultaneously, or another A400M in the air.

   

   Copyright: Luftwaffe
    

7. Humanitarian missions

   The Bundeswehr  uses the A400M for humanitarian missions. It was used to bring people to safety in  Kabul and Sudan. The aircraft also helps the Bundeswehr to provide emergency relief in the event of natural disasters, as it recently did in Turkey and Libya.

   

   Copyright: Luftwaffe
    

8. Hand in hand with the Bundeswehr

   Since the first German Airbus A400M landed in Wunstorf ten years ago, Airbus has been working hand in hand with the German Air Force to ensure that its A400M fleet is operational whenever it is needed. The company provides technical support, maintenance, repair, airworthiness and spare parts management.

   Airbus is currently building a new A400M maintenance centre right next to the Wunstorf airbase, which is scheduled to start operations in mid-2027. This means that Airbus will operate two large maintenance centres in Germany: in Manching, the company primarily carries out the major A400M checks and maintenance measures that are due every six years. The Airbus teams in Wunstorf will be responsible for shorter checks and maintenance directly at the base of the German A400M fleet.

   

9. Fit for the future

   To ensure that the A400M remains technologically up to date, Airbus is working with its customers to ensure the aircraft’s future viability. The company will offer even more comprehensive technical support as part of the new Global Support Services package. In addition, Airbus will expand the A400M's communication capabilities with the “Block Upgrade 0”, ensuring that it can continue to interact fully with other NATO platforms in the future (more information can be found here).

10. Even more capabilities

    Airbus is working to expand the A400M's  wide range of uses. For example, the company has tested how the A400M can be used as a ‘mothership’ for drones as part of the future European Future Combat Air System (click here for more information).

    Airbus is also currently developing and testing a kit that will allow the A400M to be used as a fire-fighting aircraft (more information can be found here).

    

    For more A400M images and videos, please click here.