The Royal Air Force A400M Atlas fleet is showing improved availability and output, with more aircraft returning to service and flying hours increasing, according to Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry.
In a letter to the Commons Defence Committee dated 14 April, Pollard said enhancements to engine support arrangements under the Availability Improvement Programme Phase 3 (AIP3) have “yielded significant benefits”, enabling the recovery of previously unserviceable aircraft and increasing the operational fleet to 16.
He said availability has risen steadily since September 2025, with “ten Fit for Purpose (FFP) aircraft per day” recorded in January 2026, compared to 7.4 the previous year, describing this as a “35% increase in availability.”
As a result, Pollard confirmed that Defence will increase the number of aircraft available for worldwide tasking from eight to nine Task Lines from March 2026, “on a pathway towards the longer-term goal to deliver 12 Task Lines sustainably by Q4 2027.”
Flying hours have also increased. Pollard said output rose from 697 flying hours in January 2025 to 912 hours in January 2026, a 31% increase, with total output projected to reach around 9,800 hours in the 2025–26 financial year and an aspiration to reach 11,000 hours in 2026–27.
On capability, Pollard said “A400M Atlas capability expansion continues,” noting that tactical datalink is now in service and further air despatch trials are underway as the aircraft is established as the RAF’s primary tactical airlift platform. He added that “operational integration of low-level parachuting is progressing well through force generation of the Joint Airborne Task Force.”
The letter also confirms that negotiations are ongoing on the final contracted build standard and Block 0 upgrade, with requirements for a subsequent Block 1 upgrade under discussion.
Pollard added that the Department is leading “a coherent, cross government export effort”, supported by industry and the RAF, which he said will be “essential to drive new opportunities and protect the UK’s strategic stake in the programme.”
16, how many do we have total? but good see things getting better.
22, in total I believe, I think the RAF were looking for an additional 6 but who knows anymore
The Spanish surplus would be a good place to get 6x A400M at a discount.
Does Spain have unsed spare aircraft?
Last I heard, Spain ordered 27, but only wants to operate 20, so 7 are spare.
be wise to buy them but we won’t thats too easy, likely buy new ones at full price and wait years for them, and thats if we ever do get any more.
Depends on whether they’ve actually been built yet, if they’re done to Spanish specs may cost a bit to rework them.
They do have the wing refuelling pods that RAF A400M lack.
be wise to buy more but we all know the MOD and bean counters will never do it,
22. Original order was for 25, but when the programme price per unit increased, a very clever air commodore in the MOD, said rather than pay the extra, just reduce the airframe buy and spend the same money. QED.
As always try and save money and work with less, the British way, oh buy 5 AWAC’s, then cut to 3 to save money but not save any thing as the cost is near the same so get less than what want or need. And end working around it for 30 years.
Same for P8 and NMH… Business as usual unfortunately! I would love to see the A400M fleet grow, we could use them for AAR once that awful AirTanker contract expires, and look at copying what the americans are doing with Rapid Dragon by implementing STRATUS and Storm Shadow, lots of options with these aircraft but typical government sticking to Fitted For But Not With!
Save money in short term that as always we end up paying more or just going with out. It’s for ever make do and mend and do with out. That will never change it’s ingrained and we lack leadership at any level in the military and else where to ever fix it.The CDS is weak and so have ones before been they just accept things
10 fit for purpose aircraft per day is less than 50% of the fleet. This is a transport aircraft therefore availability should be higher. It’s a good news story as things are improving and they appear to be on the right track.
The question is are extras available if things went south fast. If so then not a major issue, although clearly there should be more airframes. Combat effectiveness data being hidden, really hides a lot of sins from the public
22 aircraft who between them they only average 30 flying hours per day. If you take out flight tests after repairs it does not leave much for tasking. No wonder nobody wants it.
Another shambles imposed by Ministers. RAF wanted to keep their C130Js but were over ruled for this political purchase from Airbus.
That’s not true the raf wanted the A400m, it’s a completely different class of aircraft than the C130j the C130J is a tactical airlift with a range of 3330kms max and a max payload of 4700ibs a A400M is a strategic airlift platform and has a range of 7700km and 81,000ib max load.. a A4000m can carry a chinook or Merlin a C130 cannot.. a A400M can carry a fully armoured boxed or a archer or even Ajax if stripped down.
So no the RAF most definitely did not want to keep its well used tactical C130J instead of A400m.. it really wanted A400m as it’s a huge increase in its strategic airlift.. what it wanted was to keep some c130Js of special forces work on top of the C130Js….
Imagine trying to run a business, having spent billions on capital assets and having only 10/22 of the investment available to earn revenue.
This section of RAF operation needs to be outsourced to a private contractor, I don’t see two hundred plus BA aircraft parked outside the service centre at Heathrow.
Because outsourcing military roles has always gone so well
Privatisation never the answer. The current availability in the Navy is in part a result of privatising the work of the AMGs. Every dockyard had one. Now you have private contractors that only work Monday to Friday 8 till 5.
Contractors in the main won’t deploy.
12 Task lines.
How many Task Lines were available when there were 14 additional C130, Mr Pollard?
And how many of these 12 Task Lines are allocated to highest priority users, such as the DSF, and therfore not available for more mundane tactical and strategic tasks with the 3 services?
The current Deputy Commander CSOC, AVM Suraya Marshall, fought to save them when she was GOC 2 Group but of course HMG/HM Treasury knew best.
Transport aircraft cannot be in two places at once, and as HMG continue to try to grandstand on the world stage while cutting the forces assets at the same time, the RAF ATF is stretched like everything else.
Utter, UTTER idiots.
Tend to agree, but no one in procurement ever plans for programme increases. The Main gate approval is based on the best estimate of costs at that precise moment. In the case of warshios, the Navy have long held the view that the maingate submission gets the hull built and in the water, and they sort the weapons fit and capability upgrades downstream at the various maintenance points. Of course that works well when the platforms are new, but when the sausage factory of new orders dries up, older hulls need more time alongside to keep them seaworthy, hence the current type 23, type 26 and type 31 debacle. 31 is showing promise provided the treasury releases the money on time, unlike the 26.
I get paid over 220 Dollars per hour working from home with 2 kids at home. i never thought i’d be able to do it but my best friend earns over 15k a month doing this and she kaz convinced me to try. it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do, check it out by Visiting Following Website
HERE—————www.giftpay7.vip
Still the same number of platforms, but wow a couple more now work but still an absolute bare minimum transport capability. Lose one or two to accidents or operations and we would struggle to maintain even training and routine commitments. More absolute shite and half truths from our illustrious leaders! In fact this Government, with its obvious and blatant lies, deception and half truths regarding defence, are in fact encouraging bad actors to push forward and gain confidence, knowing we have cowards and clowns in charge. Just wait for the Type 26 order to be reduced, along with so many more “options” regarding other capabilities and platforms, all being touted as progression and capability increases etc. Surely the clowns in HMG cannot think people in the UK actually believes their crap any longer? But maybe they don’t care, as long as their target voters are kept fed, watered. fat and happy.