To Be Foundation Of Country’s Airlift Capabilities

Airbus Defense and Space has delivered the first Airbus A400M to the Republic of Kazakhstan to form the cornerstone of its tactical and strategic airlift operations.

It is the first of two ordered by the west-central Asian country, and was handed over to the Kazakh Air Defense Forces in a ceremony in Almaty, South Kazakhstan, after being ferried from the planemaker’s A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville, southern Spain, a few days earlier.

The two Airbus transports will expand the country’s military transport capabilities that were previously limited to one Antonov An-72 and several smaller turboprops such as the C295 and An-24/26. Airbus will also provide a full package of maintenance and training support, in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on maintenance and overhaul services. That MOU was signed earlier when Kazakhstan purchased the C295 and created a maintenance center.

“Proven for over a decade in military and humanitarian operations worldwide, the A400M is a game changer for the Kazakh Air Defense Forces, delivering unrivalled tactical and strategic capabilities in a single platform,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “A second A400M, currently in production, will further strengthen these capabilities on its delivery in 2026.”

Kazakhstan becomes the ninth operator of the A400M along with Germany, France, the U.S., the UK, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Malaysia, and Luxembourg.

FMI:  www.airbus.com/