The first of Indonesia’s two Airbus A400M multirole tanker and transport aircraft has entered the company’s Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Seville.
The company announced on 20 January that the aircraft, production number MSN148, will next undergo installation of its powerplant and software, followed by a series of functional tests prior to its first engine run.
Airbus noted that MSN148 had already achieved several key production milestones during this phase of assembly, including the attachment of the Horizontal Tail Plane (HTP) to the Vertical Tail Plane (VTP) and the integration of the wings to the fuselage.
The aircraft is expected to be deliver to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) by the end of 2025.
The Indonesia Ministry of Defence placed an order for two Airbus A400M aircraft in multirole tanker and transport configuration in 2021.
The contract, which became effective in 2022, will bring the total number of A400M operators to ten nations. The agreement includes a complete maintenance and training support package. A Letter of Intent was also signed for the future acquisition of four additional A400M aircraft.
The A400M can operate from rough and short runways and will strengthen the Indonesian Air Force’s airlift capabilities to rapidly respond to any crisis. This capability was demonstrated in the aftermath of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the country in 2018, in which the A400M was the first large airlifter able to deliver heavy loads like fuel trucks and excavators as well as food, clothes and medical supplies using a damaged and short runway in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
by Jr Ng
