Kazakhstan welcomes its first A400M

Kazakhstan has received the first of two A400M aircraft, Airbus has announced.

The country placed an order for two A400Ms in September 2021. Deliveries were expected to be made around 2024-2025. The aircraft will be integrated into Kazakhstan’s fleet alongside the C295 aircraft currently in service in the Air Force.

Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power at Airbus Defence and Space, said: “The A400M is a game changer for the Kazakh Air Defense Forces, delivering unrivalled tactical and strategic capabilities in a single platform.”

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Dumont added that the second A400M was “currently in production” and would be delivered in 2026. Airbus will also reportedly provide full maintenance and training support for the aircraft for the Kazakh Air Defense Force.

At the time of the order, Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said that the aircraft would “become the cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s tactical and strategic airlifting operations”.

Airbus has previously stated that it expects Kazakhstan to place further orders for the platform in the future.

The aircraft has been chosen by ten different countries, with 178 orders placed in total. The A400M combines tactical and logistic mission capabilities, with a maximum payload of up to 37 tonnes and a cargo hold designed to carry outsize equipment needed for civil and military missions. It completed its 25t airdrop certification in August 2024, according to Airbus.

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