if you can get it for the right price go for it
seems they are trying to pitch to the U.S to buy like 200+ of them and retire the C-5A Galaxy fleet
If we consider the news of 3rd lot of 8 c17 for IAF right and instead going for it if we order A400M then we could have 16 A440M in inventory ( price considered according to post #16)...this can compliment our many transport and tanker assets like it can well complement 16 c17 (strategic one), 6+ c-130j 30(tactical one), 6 il78mki ( heavy refuelers in IAF)....it will be just a force multiplier for the IAF....An-32 will be replaced by MTA.
1.As compliment to c17 & c130j-30:
Rheinmetall Defence Electronics is supplying the loadmaster control system for electronic cargo control. Loadmaster consists of a workstation and control panel, eight sidewall lock panels and a crew door panel. It provides efficient ground loading and airborne cargo drops.
The payload requirements include a range of military helicopters and vehicles, heavy engineering equipment, pallets and cargo containers.
The cargo bay can transport up to nine standard military pallets (2.23m × 2.74m), including two on the ramp, along with 58 troops seated along the sides or up to 120 fully equipped troops seated in four rows. For Medevac, it can carry up to 66 stretchers and 25 medical personnel.
The A400M can carry 116 paratroops and can air-drop them and their equipment either by parachute or gravity extraction. It can air-drop: single load up to 16t, multiple loads up to 25t total, 120 paratroops plus a wedge load of 6t, or up to 20 1t containers or pallets.
It can also perform simultaneous drops of paratroops and cargo (RAS / wedge or door loads) and very-low-level extraction (VLLE) of a single load up to 6.35t, or multiple loads up to 19t total weight. Gravity extraction can be performed for a single load up to 4t, or multiple loads up to 20t total weight.
The cargo compartment can be configured for cargo, vehicle or troop transport or air drop, a combination of these and for aero-medical evacuation. A single loadmaster is able to reconfigure the cargo compartment for different roles either in flight or on the ground. A powered crane installed in the ceiling area of the rear section of the fuselage has a five-ton capacity for loading from the ground and for cross-loading.
The rear-opening door has full compartment cross-section to allow axial load movement, roll-on and roll-off loading and for the air drop of large loads.
2. As complement to il 78mki:
A400M is convertible to a tactical tanker, with the ability to refuel a range of aircraft and helicopters within two hours. Flight Refuelling Ltd is supplying the 908E wing pod drogue system, which provides a fuel flow of up to 1,200kg/min for each pod, plus the centreline pallet-mounted hose drum unit fitted in the rear cargo bay, which provides a fuel flow of 1,800kg/min.
The A400M transport aircraft can be converted into a two-point tanker configuration within two hours.
The A400M tanker, with a fuel capacity of 50.5t (111,330lb), can be mounted with two additional cargo hold tanks of 5.7t of fuel each. The air-to-air refuelling is performed through two hose and drogue under-wing refuelling pods (1,500L/min flow rate) or through a centre-line fuselage refuelling unit (2,250L/min). The three video cameras installed in the aircraft enable the crew to monitor the refuelling mission.
The aircraft can fly at slow speeds and low altitudes to refuel helicopters, as well as at higher speeds and altitudes to refuel fighters such as
Eurofighter, F/A-18
Hornet and
Rafale, as well as large aircraft including C295 and
C-130 Hercules. It can also be equipped with a removable refuelling probe to receive fuel from another A400M (buddy refuelling).
It carries 61t of fuel as complement to 85.72t of il 78mki.
