Kazakhstan joins the Airbus A400M club, becomes the 9th country to operate the aircraft
According to the press release by Airbus, the Republic of Kazakhstan has placed an order for 2 Airbus A400M, to become the 9th operator of the aircraft, after Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia and Luxembourg.
The delivery of the first aircraft is schedule for 2024. The deal includes a complete suit of maintenance and training support, as well as a MOU to collaborate on Maintenance and Overhaul services, with the intention to create a local C295 maintenance centre.
The A400M is capable of rapid deployment over long distance and access remote areas, enabling Kazakhstan to conduct military, civil or humanitarian missions across its vast territory.
The A400M will become the cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s tactical and strategic airlifting operations. This new export contract brings the total number of A400M orders to 176 aircraft, a figure that we expect to increase in the near future.
With more than 100 aircraft delivered and 100,000 flight hours in operation, the A400M has proven its capabilities, reaching a state of maturity that many potential customers were waiting for.”
Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.
The new order from Kazakhstan is excellent news for the A400M. The airlifter has been operating with great success in Asia Pacific since the Royal Malaysian Air Force took delivery of the fleet in early 2015.
The A400M is well regarded for its ability to fly higher, faster and further, and has been well-adapted in a wide range of missions in this region. Strong interest is building up in the Asia Pacific where we see potential for more orders of this multipurpose aircraft supporting the military forces and humanitarian operations in this region.
Johan Pelissier, Head of Asia-Pacific, Airbus Defence and Space