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...and asEditorial 12-01-24, 22:31
The Air Force receives its seventh and final Airbus A400M
The Air Force took delivery on Friday
of its seventh and final Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft,
which brings the Belgian-Luxembourg binational unit which operates from Melsbroek air base
to full strength (eight aircraft), he said.
Editorial 12-01-24, 22:31 Source: BELGA
This plane, registered CT-08, landed around 4:30 p.m., in the gray,
at Brussels-National airport coming directly from Seville (southern Spain)
where it was assembled,
according to a “spotter” (aviation enthusiast) who witnessed its landing and photographed it.
Its delivery was initially scheduled for Thursday,
but was postponed by a day, according to military sources,
who did not explain the reasons for the delay.
This aircraft is the final Airbus
intended for the 'Belgium-Luxembourg Binational Air Transport Unit A400M'
(BNU A400M, also known as the 20th squadron),
now with eight aircraft and based in Melsbroek.
Bearing the construction number MSN 133, it made its first flight on August 31 in Seville.
The eight Atlases of the BNU -
which has the particularity of being commanded by a Luxembourg officer, Major Dan Olsem -
were delivered between October 2020 and January 2024.
They were ordered in 2003 by Belgium and Luxembourg for more than one billion euros,
to replace the fleet of C-130s, built by the American group Lockheed Martin,
after nearly 50 years of service under Belgian regalia.
The A400M, equipped with four powerful turboprop engines,
offers a payload capacity 1.5 times greater than that of a C-130,
while having greater autonomy and a significantly higher speed.
The CT-08 should carry out its first operational mission on Saturday,
explained a specialist in the file to the Belga agency.
The official presentation of this device should take place at the end of February 2024,
during an international ceremony.
https://www.radarbox.com/data/registrat ... 2092957642
shows, CT-08 has been quite busy after delivery....
