Record airdrop for a British A400M Atlas

(B2) the British A400-M "Atlas" carried out an unprecedented cargo airdrop test at the beginning of the week. 23 tonnes of parachuted cargo! A record for the RAF

These drops were carried out as part of tests supervised by the Support and Equipment Department of the Ministry of Defense (Defense Equipment and Support DE&S), Royal Air Force RAF Air Warfare Center and Joint Air Refueling Test and Evaluation Unit (Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit and Air Warfare Center), QinetiQ and Airbus.

James Dowson, DE&S Atlas A400M Delivery Team Leader, confirms: These successful trials are an impressive demonstration of the A400M's ability to deliver essential cargo where it is needed. The A400M was thus able to drop almost twice the maximum weight of a C-130J Hercules (about 15 tonnes).

NB: The A400M is currently in service with 24 and 70 Squadrons RAF, based at Brize Norton.

(RM and NGV)