e-News® | The NEWS Company.. : Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter to the Royal Air Force, beginning the next stage of the transformation of the UK’s air mobility fleet.

The aircraft is the first of 22 ordered by the UK and will be known in service as the A400M Atlas. Prime Minister David Cameron was guest of honour at a ceremony to celebrate the acceptance of the aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, which is in his parliamentary constituency, where the entire Atlas fleet will be based.

The A400M will replace the C-130 in RAF service but, because it can carry approximately twice as much load, or the same load twice as far, fewer aircraft will be required. At Brize Norton the A400M will operate alongside the RAF’s Airbus Voyager multi-role tanker transport fleet. The wings of both aircraft are built in the UK at Filton and Broughton respectively. Additionally the Voyager’s engines are produced in the UK by Rolls-Royce, which is also a member of the Europrop International consortium that produces the A400M’s TP400 engines.