MSN104 Is Scheduled To Be Delivered In The Second Quarter Of 2020

The Airbus A400M new-generation airlifter ordered by the Luxembourg Armed Forces has made its maiden flight, marking a key milestone towards its delivery.

The aircraft, known as MSN104, took off from Seville (Spain), where the final assembly line is located, at 16:08 local time (CET) and landed back on site 5 hours later.

The Luxembourg aircraft will be operated by the armed forces of Belgium and Luxembourg within a binational unit based in Belgium. MSN104 is scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of 2020.

Airbus’ A400M is a success story more than 15 years in the making. Launched in 2003 to respond to the combined needs of multiple European nations, this next-generation airlifter entered service a decade later and has since demonstrated unmatched versatility on military and humanitarian missions around the globe.

Production and delivery of the milestone 100th aircraft is a major milestone for the A400M, which to date has been provided to the military forces of France, Germany, Malaysia, the UK, Spain and Turkey – with future deliveries planned for Belgium and Luxembourg, as well.

The A400M made its first flight on 11 December 2009. The first production aircraft was delivered to the French Air Force in August 2013 and entered into service a year after. The A400M already has seen operational use with the French and Turkish Air Forces in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, African Sahel Region, Mali and in the Middle East to support the air operations over Iraq and Syria.

FMI: www.airbus.com