Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's familiarisation flight aboard the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft during his recent three-day visit to France has attracted attention, as it comes at a time when the IAF is looking for a new medium transport aircraft to replace

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's familiarisation flight aboard the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft during his recent three-day visit to France has attracted attention, as it comes at a time when the IAF is looking for a new medium transport aircraft to replace

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's familiarisation flight aboard the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft during his recent three-day visit to France has attracted attention, as it comes at a time when the IAF is looking for a new medium transport aircraft to replace

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's familiarisation flight aboard the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft during his recent three-day visit to France has attracted attention, as it comes at a time when the IAF is looking for a new medium transport aircraft to replace its ageing An-32 fleet.

During his official visit, the the IAF chief interacted with senior French military leaders and representatives of major defence companies, including Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran and MBDA. However, one of the most notable events of the visit was his familiarisation flight aboard the A400M from Orléans Air Base.

"The Chief of Air Staff visited the Mont-de-Marsan Air Combat Center, undertook a familiarisation flight aboard the A-400M from Orléans Air Base, and met with leading defense industry players, including Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran, and MBDA, thereby advancing the Make In India initiative," the Embassy of India in France said in a social media post.

The flight is significant because the IAF has been evaluating options under its Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme. The project aims to replace the Soviet-origin An-32 transport aircraft that have served the force for decades.

According to reports, the IAF plans to procure between 40 and 80 aircraft under the programme. The contenders reportedly include the Airbus A400M, the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, which the IAF already operates, and the Embraer KC-390 Millennium.

Airbus has been actively pitching the A400M to India. In 2023, the company responded to the IAF's Request for Information (RFI) for a transport aircraft capable of carrying payloads in the 18-30 tonne category.

At the time, Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus, had said the A400M offered greater payload and range than competing aircraft. “Yes, we have responded to the RFI and offered the A400. It is a value addition. The A400 carries twice the payload to twice the range than the competitors. It is bigger than the others (in competition),” Jean-Brice Dumont, head of Military Air Systems, Airbus, had then said, reported the Hindu.

About the A400M

According to Airbus, the A400M is a military transport aircraft designed to combine long-range transport capability with the ability to operate from short and unprepared airstrips.

The aircraft can carry large and heavy equipment, including armoured vehicles, helicopters and engineering equipment, over long distances. Airbus says it can transport loads that may not fit inside many smaller tactical transport aircraft.

The company also states that the A400M is capable of operating in demanding environments. It can fly at low altitudes, perform steep climbs and descents, and operate from short runways—features that are suitable for India’s extremely diverse terrains.

Airbus says the aircraft has several features aimed at improving survivability, including an armoured cockpit, bullet-resistant windshields, defensive countermeasure systems and protections designed to reduce vulnerability during operations.

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