Malaysia Takes Delivery of Its First Airbus A400M

First RMAF A400M in-flight (Source: Airbus Defence and Space)

Airbus Defence and Space has formally delivered the first of four Airbus A400M military transport ordered by the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The handover also marks the first delivery of an A400M to an export customer outside the original launch nations.

The photograph above shows (from left to right) Dato Dr. Rothiah; Datuk Nozirah; Chief of Defence Force, General Tan Sri Dr. Zulkifeli; and Chief of RMAF, General Dato' Sri Roslan Bin Saad. (Source: Airbus Defence and Space)

The aircraft was accepted at the A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville, Spain on 9 March by Chief of Malaysian Defence Force General Tan Sri Dr. Zulkifeli, witnessed by Datuk Nozirah, Deputy Secretary General of Ministry of Finance, and Dato Dr. Rothiah, Deputy Secretary General of Ministry of Defence, who signed the Transfer of Title on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Chief of RMAF, General Dato' Sri Roslan Bin Saad, said: “The A400M will give the RMAF the most advanced heavy transport capability in the region and enable us to undertake an extraordinary range of military and humanitarian operations.”

Bernhard Gerwert, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: “We are extremely proud to deliver the first A400M to our first export customer - Malaysia. These aircraft will transform Malaysia’s air mobility force thanks to the A400M´s unique combination of strategic and tactical capabilities. Today sends a clear message that the A400M is not just a specialised aircraft designed and developed for Europe’s air forces, but is truly the new reference in tactical and strategic transport market globally – fulfilling both roles in a single machine.”

After arrival in Malaysia, the A400M will star in the LIMA airshow at Langkawi, 17-21 March.

About the A400M

The A400M is an all-new military airlifter designed to meet the needs of the world's Armed Forces in the 21st Century. Thanks to its advanced technologies, it is able to fly higher, faster and further, while retaining high manoeuvrability, excellent low speed handling , and the abilty to use short and unpaved runways. It combines both tactical and strategic/logistic missions. 

With its cargo hold specifically designed to carry the outsize equipment needed today for both military and humanitarian disaster relief missions, it can bring this material quickly and directly to where it is most needed. Conceived to be highly reliable, dependable, and survivable, the multipurpose A400M can do more with less, implying smaller fleets and less investment from the operator. The A400M is the most cost efficient and versatile airlifter ever conceived and absolutely unique in its capabilities.