A now widely circulated video clip, shared on social media, shows a male Chinese national attempting to visit the A400M but was prevented by Airbus staff.

In the video, the Airbus staff can be seen repeatedly asking the man what his nationality was.

When the man asked why this information was needed, the staff explained it was because the A400M is a German aircraft.

When the man told the staff member he was from China, she barred him from entering, saying, 鈥淚t is not possible.鈥�

When he asked why, the staff member replied: 鈥淏ecause it is German rules鈥� and due to 鈥渕ilitary restrictions鈥�.

Chinese media outlet Global Times reported that a Chinese netizen named “Qianzhan Qifei” posted on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo that soldiers from the German army and Airbus staff told people lining up to see the A400M that, 鈥淐hinese and Russian nationals are not allowed to board the plane鈥�.

Another Sina Weibo user alleged that he was physically attacked by German soldiers onboard the A400M.

Airbus, which has a Sina Weibo account, issued an apology via the platform.

The post, translated from Chinese, reads:

鈥淲e have noticed that during the public open day of the Singapore Airshow, some of the attendees had doubts about the visit of an A400M military transport aircraft. After learning about this situation, we immediately communicated and coordinated with relevant parties, improved the visit process in a timely manner, and ensured that the plane was open to all attendees. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by our previous on-site work and thank you for your continued attention and feedback.鈥�

Highlights from Singapore Airshow 2024: Did COMAC outshine Airbus and Boeing?

• Singapore Airshow

byIan Molyneaux

2024-02-24

What happened? 

A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Airbus CC-150 Polaris bearing the designation 15003 and a French Air and Space Force (AAE) Airbus A400M transport aircraft collided on the ground at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on July 21, 2023, when both aircraft were on the ramp. 

The Canadian aircraft was about to conduct a repatriation flight from Guam following Exercise Mobility Guardian 2023 which ran at the US Air Force base from July 5 to 21, 2023, and in which both the RCAF and the AAE participated.  

The CC150 Polaris, which belonged to the 8th Wing in Trenton, Ontario, had landed in Guam on the last day of the exercise to retrieve equipment and personnel. It was scheduled to depart the following day. The preliminary report provides additional context, stating that after arriving in Guam, the Canadian crew left the aircraft partially secured (without chocks) and departed the airfield for rest.  

On the morning of July 22, 2023, at approximately 10:30 AM local time, the Polaris unexpectedly began moving in reverse from its parking position, veering slightly to the left. It continued to move until the right horizontal and vertical stabilizer of the RCAF aircraft collided with the tail of the AAE A400M. 

The impact resulted in significant damage to both aircraft. Fortunately, no crew members or ground personnel were injured during the incident.听

According to the preliminary report issued on September 7, 2023, no evidence of technical issues with the Canadian aircraft has yet been discovered. The investigation is now focusing on procedures, communications, and human factors that may have contributed to this unexpected accident.听

The two aircraft are still marooned in Guam as the investigation and repairs are still underway.听

A recurring issue for the RCAF?

Another Airbus CC-150 Polaris, with the designation 15001, had also been damaged in a towing accident at CFB Trenton, Ontario on October 19, 2019. An investigation into this incident found that it resulted from the use of faulty chocks and inadequate training of towing personnel. Following extensive repairs conducted at Montr茅al鈥揗irabel International Airport (YMX), Qu茅bec, it returned to operational status on February 25, 2021.

On September 10, 2023, following the conclusion of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian delegation were left stranded in New Delhi due to unforeseen technical issues affecting 15001.听听

Canada精东影业 Trudeau stranded in India after aircraft breaks down

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2023-09-11

The mission aimed to save the operator and passengers of a distressed vessel located approximately 30 nautical miles northwest of Rota, in the Marianas Archipelago. 

The US Coast Guard (USCG) Forces received a distress call from the operator of a 21-foot (6-meter) center console fishing vessel, disabled and adrift with 11 people on board. 

鈥淒ue to the lack of GPS onboard and the inability to use a cell phone to acquire a GPS position, the situation became even more critical,鈥� the US Coast Guard explained in a press release. Consequently, the watchstanders alerted nearby mariners and requested assistance from aircraft crews. 

International forces demonstrate the importance of aerial support in maritime rescues 

The initial response came from a French Air and Space Force A400 Atlas military transport aircraft and crew, which took off from Andersen Air Force Base, less than 10 minutes after the conclusion of a MEDEVAC exercise.  

Since June 28, 2023, 11 French aircraft were deployed to Guam as part of Operation Pegase 23. They will be conducting joint and combined exercises such as Exercise Mobility Guardian 2023.听

Using night vision binoculars, the crew located the distressed vessel around 8 p.m. and guided the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety. However, the conditions at sea having deteriorated further, local responders had to abandon the operation.听

Nevertheless, the French Air and Space Force A400 crew maintained visual contact with the vessel while a plan was devised to address the new conditions.  

The USCG cutter, USCGC Myrtle Hazard, and a US Navy MH-60 Nighthawk helicopter were dispatched to the scene.听听

Due to their inability to maintain their position above the distressed ship any longer, the French A400M aircraft was relieved by a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) HC-130 Hercules, also deployed to the region as part of ongoing exercises. 

The helicopter successfully reached the location around 1 a.m. and its crew promptly initiated the process of hoisting all 11 individuals 鈥� nine of which are said to be Chinese nationals 鈥� before transporting them to Rota airport, where they were taken care of by the local emergency services. No injuries were reported. The disabled vessel was towed to Rota by the USCG cutter later in the morning.听

鈥淚t is in these moments that the mission takes on its full meaning鈥�

鈥淎ircraft crews play a crucial role in our efforts to save lives in challenging maritime situations,鈥� Captain Nick Simmons, commander of USCG Forces Micronesia, Sector Guam. 鈥淯sing aerial assets, combined with our local partnerships, ensures a swift and effective response to distress calls, ultimately increasing the chances of a successful rescue.鈥澨�

鈥淚t is in these moments that the mission takes on its full meaning,鈥� Lieutenant Felix, the A440M co-pilot on the mission, recounts. 鈥淭hanks to the A400M, we were able to locate the boat in record time. Over the radio, we could feel that the presence of the plane above them reassured the passengers on the boat. We set out for a training exercise with our partners, and we ended up rescuing real people.鈥�

Though the aircraft was not initially designed for maritime patrol missions, the crew of a French A400M transport plane had coincidentally 鈥渟imulated maritime surveillance and search and rescue procedures at sea鈥� shortly after their deployment to Guam.听

| Real assistance mission on the night of July 10th in the Pacific. At the request of 馃嚭馃嚫 Coast Guard, an A400M Atlas took off from Guam to locate a boat in trouble to the West of Rota island.
Reactivity, credibility, solidarity of 馃嚝馃嚪 forces.

— Arm茅e fran莽aise – Op茅rations militaires (@EtatMajorFR)

Operation Pegase 23: French Air Force showcases power projection in the Pacific

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2023-07-05

The aircraft, from 10/101 Squadron, departed the UK on July 3, 2023, and spent 20 hours and 36 minutes in the air.  

The selected polar route took the Atlas the closest to the North Pole that any A400M has ever been. The Atlas was refueled three times during the flight, once over the Atlantic by a RAF A330 MRTT, over Alaska, and finally over the Pacific Ocean. The second and third refuelings were carried out by US Air Force tankers flying out of Eielson Airbase, Alaska.  

This ultra-long flight took place within the framework of the 鈥淢obility Guardian鈥� exercise that aims to test and showcase the UK精东影业 ability to deploy forces over long distances. Once in Guam, the British crew will train together with forces from the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand. 

Around the same time, the French Air Force completed its own long distance deployment exercise, with six Rafale fighters and accompanying tanker and transport support aircraft from Europe also arriving in Guam. However, unlike the RAF A400M, the French formation stopped at several points along the route. 

Operation Pegase 23: French Air Force showcases power projection in the Pacific

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

3 minute read

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a bloody conflict between the army of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane, de facto ruler of Sudan since his coup in 2021, and his former deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commanding a militia called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). 

Khartoum International Airport (KRT) was heavily damaged in the fights, causing the destruction of many aircraft. Consequently, European nations had to move their operation to Wadi Seidna Air Base, a military facility controlled by the Sudanese Air Force 20 kilometers north of the capital city. 

The land convoy evacuating people out of Khartoum on April 23, 2023, was reportedly targeted by gunfire, injuring at least one French national. The RSF accused Sudanese forces of having conducted airstrikes on the vehicles, though nothing was confirmed by the French authorities. 

After coordinating a fragile ceasefire with both the Sudanese government and the RSF militia, Emmanuel Macron and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs triggered Operation 鈥淪agittaire鈥�. About 150 soldiers were mobilized to secure the exfiltration of foreigners.  

On April 23, 2023, two evacuation flights between Sudan and Djibouti were conducted by the French Air Force, using an Airbus A400M transport aircraft. More rotations are expected to take place in the following days.  

In total, 388 people were evacuated, including not only French nationals, but also citizens from other EU member states, African, and Asian countries, the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for the Armed Forces reported in a joint statement. The diplomatic staff of the European Union delegation in Sudan was also evacuated by the French military. 

A French Air Force A330 MRTT “Ph茅nix” multi-role transport aircraft was used to take the evacuees from Djibouti back to their home country.  

Over 1,000 EU citizens evacuated from Sudan

France was not the only foreign nation evacuating foreign citizens. The Spanish Air Force also conducted several rotations between Sudan and Djibouti, while the German Luftwaffe used Jordan as its evacuation hub. Both used Airbus A400M airlifters to fly in and out of Wadi Seidna Air Base. 听

Spain evacuated 142 foreigners while the Luftwaffe has flown out 311 people. Spaniards were then airlifted out of Djibouti using an A330 MRTT while Germany used a military A321 passenger airplane out of the Al Azrak base in Jordan. 

The Italian military reported having evacuated about 200 people, including members of the embassy of the Vatican in Sudan, towards Djibouti.听

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reported that over 1,000 EU citizens have been evacuated from Sudan.

US President Joe Biden announced that special forces conducted 鈥渁n operation to extract US Government personnel from Khartoum.鈥� 

鈥淭his tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians,鈥� Biden said in a statement. 鈥淚t精东影业 unconscionable and it must stop.鈥� 

South Korea has positioned a military aircraft in the US base of Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti to evacuate its 25 nationals in Sudan. 

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Twitter that British diplomats have been evacuated from Sudan. 

鈥淯K armed forces have completed a complex and rapid evacuation of British diplomats and their families from Sudan, amid a significant escalation in violence and threats to embassy staff,鈥� the PM said. 鈥淲e are continuing to pursue every avenue to end the bloodshed in Sudan and ensure the safety of British nationals remaining in the country.鈥� 

Another land convoy to Port Sudan was used by the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt, to evacuate more foreign citizens. 

The Turkish Air Force airlifters were tracked by flightradar24 services after crossing the border between Ukraine and Romania. While their final destination was unknown at the time this article was published, one can assume from their direction that they are headed for Turkey, their home country. 

 
On February 24, 2022, the two aircraft flew to Kyiv-Boryspil International Airport (KBP) shortly after midnight. According to the Turkish Minister of Defense, they were delivering humanitarian supplies and were supposed to repatriate Turkish nationals.  

However, with the invasion erupting later that day and the closure of Ukraine精东影业 airspace, the two military transport aircraft rested on the tarmac of Boryspil for the past 10 months. The crew members found refuge at the Turkish Embassy in Kyiv.   

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has since sought to establish an air corridor with Ukraine and Russia in order to recover the two A400Ms. No official communication has been issued yet, but the negotiations visibly succeeded after several failed attempts.听

The A400M is a military transport aircraft designed by Airbus Defence and Space. It entered service in 2013 and is offered as a successor for older transporters such as the C-130 Hercules or the C-160 Transall. It can transport up to 37 tons of cargo or 116 soldiers with equipment over 4,500 kilometers.    

The Turkish Air Force operates a total of 10 A400M aircraft, including the two stranded in Kyiv. The last aircraft was delivered on March 30, 2022.  

The demonstrator has been launched from the cargo hold of an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft, demonstrating the ability that is expected to be routine for future loyal wingmen. The unmanned aircraft then started its own engines and landed with the input of a ground controller 

鈥淔CAS as a system of systems is starting to take shape now,鈥� Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn commented in the company精东影业 . 

听

Dropping drones from the Atlas

This is not the first time Airbus performed the aerial launch of a drone from the A400M. The first test of such a capability was performed in February 2022.听

FCAS: Airbus A400M completes maiden drone launch from cargo hold

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-02-21

That first test was intended to demonstrate the A400M精东影业 ability to carry drones. A special demonstrator, based on the Airbus Do-DT25 drone, was launched before deploying its parachute for landing. 

The latest test was a lot more complex, Airbus explains, with the use of a new launch mechanism built by the manufacturer during the last half-a-year. 

After the launch, the drone started its own engines with control transferred to the ground crew. The drone flew under its own power, imitating regular mission parameters, before landing. 

Such missions will be able to make use of Airbus鈥� new compact airborne networking data link (CANDL) to share data between aircraft. The CANDL was during the summer of 2022 in a complex multi-domain flight demonstration to team up remote carriers with fighter jets and helicopters in a scenario that imitated a real-life mission. 

The A400M is envisioned as a mothership that could carry an array of drones for such a mission. According to Airbus, up to 50 small or 12 heavy Remote Carriers can be launched from the cargo aircraft to support manned fighters on the battlefield. 

听

FCAS鈥� wingmen

Being part of a team with various combat drones 鈥� called loyal wingmen 鈥� is one of the defining features of all known upcoming sixth generation fighter jets.听

Sketching the 6th generation fighter jet

• Best of 2022
• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-10-20

In the US several programs are being run to develop loyal wingmen for the next Generation Air Defense (NGAD) program, while the Tempest, created by a UK-led team and recently merged with Japan精东影业 F-X, is going to have its drones as well. 

While Remote Carriers have always been portrayed as a part of the FCAS program, Airbus revealed more details just recently about a new kind of a Remote Carrier: a heavy drone that could be armed with various payloads including air-to-air missiles, bombs and electronic warfare equipment.听

Airbus unveils details of new heavy loyal wingman drone concept for FCAS

• Defense

byValius Venckunas

2022-11-17

FCAS: Dassault finally confirms reaching industrial agreement with Airbus

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-12-02

The two airlifters of the Turkish Air Force flew to Kyiv-Boryspil International Airport (KBP) shortly after midnight on February 24, 2022. According to the Turkish Minister of Defense, they were delivering humanitarian supplies and were supposed to repatriate Turkish nationals. 

However, with the invasion erupting later that day and the closure of Ukraine精东影业 airspace, the two military transport aircraft have since been resting on the tarmac of Boryspil. The crew members found refuge at the Turkish Embassy in Kyiv.  

The Turkish government has been seeking to establish an air corridor with Ukraine and Russia, to no avail. The result of the latest round of discussions, which took place during an official visit of Erdogan to Lviv, Ukraine, on August 19, 2022, was not disclosed. 

The A400M is a military transport aircraft designed by Airbus Defence and Space. It entered service in 2013 and is offered as a successor for older transporters such as the C-130 Hercules or the C-160 Transall. It can transport up to 37 tons of cargo or 116 soldiers with equipment over 4,500 kilometers.   

The Turkish Air Force operates a total of 10 A400M aircraft, including the two stranded in Kyiv. The last aircraft was delivered on March 30, 2022. 

Turkey and Ukraine have grown closer diplomatically since the start of the Russian invasion, notably with the accelerated delivery of Bayraktar TB2 armed drones 

Turkey gifts Lithuanians Bayraktar TB2 for Ukraine

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-06-02

The campaign lasted several weeks and took place in Spain, where the A400M design offices are located, in July 2022. It was carried out with the help of the 43rd Group Firefighting Squadron of the Spanish Air Force. 

The kit developed by Airbus can be rolled into the cargo hold of any A400M without any modification to the aircraft. As such, it allows for a rapid reconfiguration of the airlifters when a fire emergency arises. 

On July 21, 2022, during a test in Guadalajara, Central Spain, the A400M released 20 tons of water in less than 10 seconds. As a comparison, the Grumman S2F Tracker can carry up to 3.5 tons of water, while the iconic Canadair CL-415 has a capacity of 6 tons. Converted C-130 Hercules transport aircraft using the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) can release up to 11 tons. 

Water bombers scramble to fight the Amazon forest fires

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2019-08-27

鈥淭he development of this firefighting kit is an intrinsic part of our journey towards helping to create a more sustainable and safer world, not only by our actions but also through our products,鈥� said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, in a press release published on July 26, 2022. 鈥淲e strongly believe the A400M can play a vital role in the fight against the ever-increasing threat posed by wildfires and support the restoration of social and environmental systems.鈥�  

The next part of the campaign will see the kit tested in nighttime conditions. The solution developed by Airbus comes at the right time, when France and other European nations have been facing a lack of air resources to fight wildfires. Countries already operating the A400M would be capable of easily increasing their fleet of water bombers. 

The A400M is a military transport aircraft designed by Airbus Defence and Space. It entered service in 2013 and is offered as a successor for older transporters such as the C-130 Hercules or the C-160 Transall. It can transport up to 37 tons of cargo or 116 soldiers with equipment over 4,500 kilometers.  

French waterbomber crashes during forest fire, one pilot dead

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2019-08-05

The French army is now in the process of closing its last base in the vicinity of Gao airport (GAQ), Mali, and redeploying 450 kilometers (280 miles) away to Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM), Niger. The airport houses Niamey Air Base 101 from where France will continue counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region.  

鈥淚t will be a challenge to finish this before our deadline to leave Mali, August 17,鈥� Commander Thierry, head of the joint coordination center in Gao told . 鈥淲e will do it.鈥� 

In total, 2,000 French soldiers and more than 4,000 containers have to be moved out of Mali. Two Airbus A400M transport aircraft are on daily rotation to airlift assets. Mirage 2000D fighter jets and MQ-9 Reaper attack drones operating from Niamey are also engaged in protecting weekly road convoys between the two bases. 

The French military has been deployed in Mali and the Sahel region since 2013. However, after two coups d’茅tat in 2020 and 2021 that put into power a new military junta, France and its allies announced their departure from the country.  

鈥淒ue to the multiple obstructions of the Malian transitional authorities, Canada and the European States operating alongside Operation Barkhane and within Task Force Takuba believe that the political, operational and legal conditions are no longer met to effectively pursue their current military commitment to the fight against terrorism in Mali and have therefore decided to initiate the coordinated withdrawal from Malian territory,鈥� the authorities announced in a joint statement on February 17, 2022. 

A VAB armored personnel carrier being loaded into an Airbus A400M (Credit: French Ministry of Armed Forces)

Mali accuses France of espionage over drone footage showing mass grave staging

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-04-27