Photo: MoD
The first of the UK’s A400M Atlas next-generation military transport aircraft has today been officially unveiled by the MOD at its new home at RAF Brize Norton.
The aircraft will replace the existing fleet of C-130 Hercules which have been the tried and trusted workhorse of the RAF’s Air Transport Fleet for decades.
Manufactured by Airbus Defence & Space, A400M Atlas will represent major advances on its predecessor, capable of flying almost twice as fast, twice as far and carrying almost twice as much cargo.
With a cargo capacity of 32 tonnes and a hold optimised for carriage of heavy vehicles, helicopters or cargo pallets, the aircraft is capable of supporting a wide range of operational scenarios.
The UK is the third country to operate the aircraft, after France and Turkey and the £2.8bn programme will see a total of 22 aircraft delivered to the RAF in the coming years.
Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: “The arrival of the A400M Atlas will greatly add to our defence capabilities – increasing our ability to move troops and deliver military equipment, aid and medical supplies anywhere in the world quickly and effectively. It will be a huge contributor to future air mobility in the RAF and is a further example of this Government’s continued investment in the equipment our Armed Forces need, which is only possible thanks to difficult decisions taken elsewhere as part of our long term economic plan. I know from my postbag how much local people appreciate the loyalty and endeavour the RAF at Brize display on our behalf and the expansion of RAF Brize Norton is good news for us locally.”
Defence Minister Philip Dunne said: “To have the first A400M Atlas here in the UK is a great achievement. The programme has been at the forefront of modern technology, with its software, wings and aircrew simulator British-manufactured, creating or securing work for around 8,000 people in the UK."
Minister Dunne added: “Working with our European partners and industry we have been able to deliver this world class airlift capability to the RAF to support our servicemen and women as they carry out operations around the world. We now look forward to a steady drumbeat of delivery of this state-of-the-art transport aircraft over the next few years.”
Delivery of the aircraft – which was assembled in Seville, Spain - took place at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where the fleet will be based and where its pilots and ground crew will benefit from state-of-the-art training facilities.
The aircraft will give the RAF the ability to move people and equipment rapidly around the globe for military and humanitarian operations – combining the intercontinental range of the C-17 with the ability to do the tactical rough landings of the C-130 Hercules.
The A400M Atlas will be able to transport the growing family of 30 tonne protected mobility vehicles, including the recently ordered Scout fighting vehicle or Foxhound vehicles. It is also capable of carrying up to 116 armed forces personnel, including paratroopers.
Also, Military And Civilian Medical Excellence Award Winners Announced
Photo: MoD
THE winners of the 2014 Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards were announced at last night’s awards ceremony at the Defence Medical Services, Whittington, in Staffordshire.
The awards, launched in June this year by Anna Soubry, Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, and Dr Dan Poulter, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, recognise the exceptional people that provide the Armed Forces Community with the very best in healthcare and social care.
The awards also celebrate the unique partnership forged between the Ministry of Defence, the UK Departments of Health and the private and voluntary sectors that provide lifelong care for Service personnel, their families and Service Veterans.
Air Marshal Paul Evans, the Surgeon General, said: “The success of this partnership is reflected in the diverse range of initiatives that help individuals attain the best possible treatment outcomes.
“These include projects that provide invaluable support to Veterans, and research that ensures the UK remains at the forefront of healthcare for both the Armed Forces and the wider society.”
The breadth and quality of nominations this year has been outstanding. The winners include military and civilian specialists working both as individuals and in teams that have excelled in delivering healthcare and social care to the Armed Forces Community.
With the draw down of Armed Forces personnel from Afghanistan, this year’s awards are particularly poignant. It is important that the skills hard won by the Defence Medical Services and the public and private healthcare sectors are built upon, and the relationships that facilitate world-class healthcare are maintained.
Jon Rouse, Director General of Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health, said: “These awards serve to highlight the partnership between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health. The NHS benefits greatly from this two-way transfer of skills between military and civilian practice, and ensures we can continue to deliver excellent healthcare to the Armed Forces as well as to the wider community.
The Surgeon General agreed, adding: “Going forward it will be ever more necessary to keep up the momentum of this relationship: to benefit from shared research, and to translate what we have learnt on the battlefield into the wider healthcare arena.”