2014: A New Year and New Capability

Starting life in 1982 ATLAS, as we call it now, had a lot to deliver. The requirement was for a state-of-the-art military airlifter that could operate in austere and unforgiving environments, but with jet-like attributes and performance. It had to look forward and be future-proof; be capable of carrying current outsize loads such as Chinook, but also be ready for future capabilities like NH90 and protected fighting and engineering vehicles such as Terrier, which the venerable C-130 cannot carry.

Since the first A400M flight in 2009, the flight test programme involving five development aircraft has completed over 2,000 flights and flown almost 6,000 hours. The aircraft received Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in March 2013, with first delivery to the French Air Force taking place in September of that year. Since then further aircraft have been delivered to France and Turkey and the production line now has three RAF aircraft in various stages of build and testing.

ATLAS’s ‘jet’ capability is delivered by its four TP400 turboprops; producing 11,000hp, delivering a range of up to 4,700 nm / 8,700 km, a cruising altitude of up to 37,000ft (40,000ft for special operations), and a max speed of Mach 0.72. Its capability is very similar to that of a turbofan powered airlifter whilst, and this is no mean feat, being also able to exploit its prop engines for tactical use.

The engines drive the iconic scimitar-shaped eight-bladed propellers and are mounted on swept wings (built by the way just down the road at Filton). The wings and propellers are all made of modern lightweight composite materials such as Kevlar and Carbon Fibre, giving ATLAS strength and damage resistance that allows it to operate off unprepared and austere airstrips.

While the pilots and crew will appreciate its flight envelope and its modern cockpit, it’s when you get on board an ATLAS that you might notice the most significant difference. The aircraft is surprisingly quiet, the 116 passenger seats make long journeys that much more bearable and , there is proper toilet and hand-washing facilities! The aircraft can also be reconfigured to carry up to 66 stretcher patients and medical teams, with therapeutic oxygen and purpose built electrical facilities for aeromedical equipment.

Training of flight crews, maintenance and support personnel has been underway at the purpose-built International Training Centre (ITC) in Seville, Spain since 2013. The facility has a full flight simulator for the Aircrew; Maintenance personnel have their own Virtual Reality trainers, which allow techniques to be learnt in the classroom before moving onto the real aircraft; and Advanced simulators and a highly-realistic, enhanced Cargo Hold trainer provide Loadmasters and Support Personnel to train with typical loads and equipment. There is also a Loadmaster Work Station Simulator, using real aircraft controls with advanced interactive Virtual Reality imaging, which simulates emergencies and realistic logistical and tactical airdrop scenarios. The facility’s multinational instructors, including some formerly of the Royal Air Force and the RAF influence can be felt throughout the practices and procedures that underpin Atlas operations.

Here in the UK, as the delivery of the first RAF aircraft in 2014 approaches, Brize Norton and DE&S are working in partnership with industry to ensure that all the necessary infrastructure and equipment is in place to allow as smooth a transition as possible. This year will also see the transfer of all RAF ATLAS training from Seville to Brize Norton. Considerable investment has been made into new buildings and facilities with a 3-bay maintenance hangar being built on the airfield. Elsewhere around the Station, existing buildings are being redeveloped to house the joint industry and RAF teams servicing teams.

Christmas 2013 gave a glimpse of the future with a French A400M being deployed to the crisis in Mali, operating principally in the Bamako and Gao regions. Conducting a short deployment to Mali, the Orléans-based crews delivered over 70 tonnes of freight, operating from degraded concrete and gravel airstrips at temperatures exceeding 36ºC. The FAF was very pleased and will be deploying A400M again to Djibouti, Al Dhafra, Ndjamena, and Libreville from February 2014.

Over the next few months the ‘Global Gateway’ magazine will be featuring more about ATLAS; the delivery programme, the RAF’s partnership with industry, and a closer look at ATLAS capabilities and the kinds of missions for which it will be deployed. Watch this space – ATLAS is definitely on its final approach to RAF Brize Norton!

RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2014