Spain manages to load a VCR Dragon armored vehicle on an A400M plane of the 31st Wing

The Spanish Air Force today resolved one of the questions that existed regarding the Spanish Army's Dragon Wheeled Combat Vehicle (RCV).

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In December 2022, I pointed out here some doubts about the capacity of the Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft to transport the Dragon VCR, in light of information that estimated the weight of this vehicle at 35 tons, since the A400M ramp only supports a weight of 32 tons. Such a drawback would significantly limit the deployment capacity of these vehicles in operations in the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands, as well as abroad.

This morning, the Air Transport Load Assessment Cell (CECTA) of the Air Mobility Headquarters of the Spanish Air Force has carried out a real load test of a Dragon VCR to certify its air transport in the A400M. The Air Force has indicated that this test is "the most complex project undertaken to date by CECTA. This validation certifies the future air transport of the wheeled combat vehicle, managed by TESS Defence, on an Air and Space Force aircraft."

"This complex maneuver took place at the Zaragoza air base", the Spanish Air Force said. "There, the load supervisors of the 31st Wing and the personnel of the Air Transport Support Section have provided their support for a validation that meets one of the requirements prior to delivery to the final user of the vehicle, in this case the Army." The test was carried out with the A400M TK.23-09 (31-29).

The version of the VCR used in this test is the Sapper Combat Vehicle (VCZ), of which the Army expects the delivery of 58 units. This VCZ is equipped with a Mini Samson remote-controlled turret armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun. CECTA has concluded that in its combat configuration, this vehicle "can be transported on a single aircraft and be operational at the destination point", that is, without dismantling the turret.

"During the feasibility study for the Dragon's air transport, CECTA faced several challenges," according to the Spanish Air Force. "On the one hand, the dimensions and weight of the vehicle meant it was necessary to identify the necessary tie-down points to secure it inside the aircraft with the necessary safety criteria. On the other hand, it was verified that the vehicle's weight complied with all the aircraft's limitations, both during the loading process and during the flight. Finally, a simulation of the air transport mission was carried out with the aircraft's planning teams, to confirm that it could be executed within the established safety limits."

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Photos: Tess Defense / Ejército del Aire.