The interior of the A400M Atlas military transport aircraft in a 360-degree video

The European Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft is an aviation giant with more than 130 units already built.

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This aircraft made its first flight on December 11, 2009, in Seville, where the EADS plant is located, where these aircraft are assembled, with parts manufactured in several countries. Currently, the A400M has nine operators: Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. Furthermore, Indonesia expects to receive its first aircraft of this type by the end of this year.

The second largest operator of the A400M is the Armée de l'Air, the French Air Force, which has already received 24 of the 50 aircraft on order. France was the first operator of this type, receiving its first A400M on 1 August 2013. All A400Ms are assigned to Orléans-Bricy Air Base and are under the 61e Escadre de Transport (61st Transport Wing), which is divided into three squadrons: 1/61 Touraine, 3/61 Poitou, and 4/61 Béarn. France accumulated thousands of flight hours with the A400M in Operation Barkhane, which took place between August 1, 2014, and November 9, 2022, against Islamist terrorist groups in the Sahel, North Africa.

In this harsh scenario, the A400M has significantly tested its capabilities: it can carry up to 37 tons of cargo, 116 fully equipped soldiers or 66 stretchers with the corresponding medical personnel. Its four powerful turboprop engines 4 Europrop TP400-D6 turboprops, each with 11,000 hp, allow it to fly at a speed of 781 km/h, with a service ceiling of 12,200 meters, a range of 3,300 km carrying the maximum load, a takeoff distance of 980 meters and a landing distance of 770 meters, being able to operate on runways in poor condition.

This Friday, the Armée de l'Air published an interesting 360-degree, 4K video showing the interior of the A400M, including its cockpit and cargo bay with vehicles, paratroopers, and drop pallets. A very well-made video that clearly shows the capabilities of this excellent aircraft:

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Main photo: Armée de l'Air.