Airbus Delivers First A400M for Kazakhstan
The first of two Airbus A400Ms ordered by Kazakhstan was handed over to the customer at a ceremony in Almaty, south Kazakhstan, after a ferry flight from Airbus’ A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville, southern Spain, a few days earlier.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first Airbus A400M for the Republic of Kazakhstan to become the cornerstone of the country’s tactical and strategic airlift operations.
The first of two Airbus A400Ms ordered by Kazakhstan was handed over to the customer at a ceremony in Almaty, south Kazakhstan, after a ferry flight from Airbus’ A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville, southern Spain, a few days earlier.
“Proven for over a decade in military and humanitarian operations worldwide, the A400M is a game changer for the Kazakh Air Defense Forces, delivering unrivalled tactical and strategic capabilities in a single platform,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space.
“A second A400M, currently in production, will further strengthen these capabilities on its delivery in 2026.”
With the delivery of this aircraft, production number MSN139, Airbus will also provide a full range of maintenance and training support.
To date, more than 130 A400Ms have been delivered to nine countries and have accumulated 200,000 flight hours, participating in missions such as the evacuation of civilian and military personnel from Afghanistan, Sudan and Niger.
Combining the capabilities of both tactical and strategic aircraft, the A400M can transport heavy and outsized cargo on to short, unprepared airstrips, flying at low altitudes or dropping up to 116 paratroopers or 25 tonnes of cargo.
The A400M has a max take-off weight of 310,852 lbs and a max landing weight of 271,000 lbs. Having first entered service in 2013, it is one of the world’s newest tactical/strategic airlifters.
The largest operators of the Airbus A400M Atlas are Germany (53 ordered), France (50 ordered), Spain (27 ordered), and the United Kingdom (22 ordered). Turkey, Belgium, Malaysia, Luxembourg, and now Kazakhstan also operate them.
Indonesia has also ordered two A400Ms (with the option for another four).
Luxembourg has one of the world’s smallest air forces and is paradoxically equipped with Europe’s largest military aircraft. Luxemburg operates a single Airbus A400M Atlas (it’s based in neighboring Belgium).
As a post-Soviet country, Kazakhstan’s legacy military aircraft is made up of Soviet-era aircraft.
Kazakhstan has sought to diversify its fleet, purchasing Spanish CASA C-295M transports, European Airbus A400M strategic airlifters, and Chinese Shaanxi Y-8 transports (an upgraded copy of the legacy Antonov An-12 transport). Other Kazakhstani transports are Soviet-era Antonovs.
Separately, Kazakhstan is also purchasing 20 H225 Airbus helicopters. However, Kazakhstan remains firmly in Russia’s military sphere of influence.
It is careful to walk a fine line of distancing itself from Russia on matters like Ukraine but also maintaining a close relationship with Russia on the other hand.
Kazakhstan is also currently purchasing Russian Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunships and Russian Su-30 Flanker fighter jets. — DSA
