The Belgian Air Force has taken delivery of its first of seven Airbus A400M military transport aircraft on December 22, 2020. The aircraft was handed over at the A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville (Spain) and subsequently performed its ferry flight to the 15th Wing Air Transport in Melsbroek (Belgium), where the aircraft will be based.
This A400M, known as MSN106, will be operated within a binational unit composed of a total of eight aircraft, seven from the Belgian Air Force and one from the Luxembourg Armed Forces. Under the operational control of the European Air Transport Command (EATC), the BNU A400M conducts missions on behalf of Belgium and Luxembourg and for the six EATC member nations as well
as for the 30 NATO Allies and the European Union member states under the Movement Coordination Centre Europe.
Characteristics
Overall length 45.10 m
Overall height 14.70 m
Wing span 42.40 m
Cargo hold length (ramp excluded) 17.70 m
Cargo hold height 3.85 – 4.00 m
Cargo hold volume 340 m3
Weights
Maximum Take Off Weight 141 000 kg
Maximum Landing Weight 123 000 kg
Maximum payload 37 000 kg
Internal fuel weight (density 0.8 kg/l) 50 800 kg
Engine
EuroProp international TP400-D6 11 000 shp 40 000 ft
Performance
Maximum operating altitude 40,000 ft
Maximum cruise speed (TAS) 433 kt
Maximum cruise speed (CAS) 300 kt
Cruise Speed 0.68 – 0.72 M
Range
Range with maximum payload 1,780 nm
Range with 30 tonnes payload 2,400 nm
Range with 20 tonnes payload 3,400 nm
Ferry range
