Turkish Air Force takes delivery of its first A400M

Turkey has at last accepted its first A400M tactical transport from Airbus Defense & Space, making it the second operator to receive the type after a delay of several months.

First flown in August 2013 and then due to have been delivered from around late September, aircraft MSN9 had remained at the A400M final assembly site near Seville, Spain to support crew training activities for the Turkish air force.

“Following yesterday’s contractual transfer of title, the aircraft will be flown to Kayseri air base in central Turkey, where it will initially be used for training,” Airbus says. “A further ceremony will take place in Turkey at a later date,” it adds.

(Photo by Airbus Defense & Space)

Turkey’s air force will eventually operate 10 A400Ms, with these to replace its C160D Transall transports. Sixteen of these remain in use, says Flightglobal’s MiliCAS database, which records them as having been built between 1968 and 1969.

The Turkish air force follows its French counterpart in introducing the Airbus transport, with Paris having taken delivery of an initial two examples last year. Germany and the UK are also due to receive their first of the type during 2014.

(Craig Hoyle - Flightglobal News)