TAUFKIRCHEN, Germany – Military aircraft experts at Airbus Defence and Space have delivered the first of two A400M Atlas large turboprop military transport and aerial refueling aircraft to Indonesia.
The plane is to help the Indonesian air force modernize its military transport capabilities. The second and last A400M of this order is expected for delivery in the first half of 2026. Airbus also will provide the Indonesian air force with training and support.
The Indonesian A400M is configured for cargo, troop transport, medical evacuation, and humanitarian missions. It can carry as much as 37 tons of payload, including helicopters, military vehicles, and relief supplies. The plane can fly as far as 2,400 nautical miles on an average mission, and can operate on short and unpaved runways.
The Airbus A400M is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft that can perform military transport, aerial refueling, fire fighting, and medical evacuation missions. It can carry as many as 116 personnel, drop paratroopers and cargo simultaneously, and can reconfigure quickly for aeromedical or crisis-response missions.
Low detectability
The A400M offers low detectability, defensive aids, and the ability to fly low-level in hostile environments. It is designed to fill the gap between smaller cargo aircraft like the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, and the larger Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.
The primary electronics of the Airbus A400M include a fly-by-wire flight control system with sidestick controllers and flight envelope protection; glass cockpit with several large digital displays; a digital head-up display (HUD) with liquid crystal display technology; and enhanced vision systems for improved situational awareness.
The plane's FMS400 flight-management system, developed by Thales and Diehl Avionik Systeme, offers integrated modular avionics. It has an independent navigation with an inertial reference and global positioning systems.
Weather radar
The A400M has a Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241E weather and navigation radar that combines wind shear measurement and ground mapping. Its radio navigation suite has an instrument landing system, VHF omnidirectional radio ranging, distance measuring equipment, air traffic control transponders, automatic direction finders, and a tactical air navigation unit (TACAN).
Standard defensive systems include radar warning receivers, chaff and flare dispensers, and an airframe designed with electrical and electronic components. Advanced avionics communications systems have VHF and UHF radios from Rohde & Schwarz.
The A400M has Electro-hydrostatic actuators and electric back-up hydraulic actuators from Liebherr for primary flight control surfaces like elevators, ailerons, rudder, and spoilers.
Comparisons to C-130 and C-17
The Airbus A400M compares most closely to the smaller C-130J, and the larger C-17 Globemaster III. The A400M is substantially larger than the C-130, and can carry a maximum payload of 81,570 pounds, while the C-130J can carry as much as 47,399 pounds. The A400M can fly as fast as 421 knots, while the C-130J can fly as fast as 336 knots, and can fly as high as 40,000 feet, vs. 33,000 feet for the C-130J.
The larger C-17 can fly loads more than twice as heavy as the A400M can, while the C-17 can fly faster, higher, and farther than the A400M. The C-17 uses four high-thrust turbofan engines for speed and heavy lift, while the A400M uses four Europrop TP400-D6 turboprops for fuel efficiency, rough field capability, and versatility.
For more information contact Airbus Defence and Space online at www.airbus.com/en/products-services/defence/military-aircraft/a400m.
