The Airbus Atlas first flew in December 2009. Fifty-five now operate in the militaries of Malaysia, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The U.K. makes the most use of them, with an active fleet of 18, an Airbus document shows.
According to Airbus, the A400M Atlas specializes in three areas. It can transport heavy vehicles and equipment, it can transport troops and supplies into theaters of war due to its ability to land on short, unpaved airstrips, and it can refuel other aircraft while airborne.
