Kazakhstan Receives First Airbus A400M
AIRBUS Defence and Space has delivered the first A400M tactical airlifter to the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Air Defense Forces in a handover ceremony after the aircraft touched down in Almaty. The aircraft was received in the presence of Minister of Defense Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov.
The A400M with production number MSN139 arrived after a ferry flight from Airbus’ A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville, Spain several days prior. It is the first of two A400Ms ordered by the republic in September 2021.
Airbus Defence and Space Head of Air Power Jean-Brice Dumont said, “The A400M is a game changer for the Kazakh Air Defense Forces, delivering unrivalled tactical and strategic capabilities in a single platform. A second A400M, currently in production, will further strengthen these capabilities on its delivery in 2026.” The company will also provide its full range of maintenance and training support. Additionally, the platform further complements the fleet of Airbus C295s already serving Kazakhstan.
The A400M has been delivered to nine countries to date, accumulating more than 200,000 flight hours and carrying out various missions including humanitarian assistance. In Southeast Asia, the Royal Malaysian Air Force has been operating 4 A400Ms since 2015 while Indonesia finalised its order for two units in 2022. Indonesia is expected to take delivery of its first A400M in late 2025.-shp/adj/dl (Pix:AIRBUS)
