France’s procurement office has revealed it received its 12th A400M airlifter, which is the first in the European programme to be fitted with two underwing pods for in-flight refuelling of fighter jets.
The latest A400M will be flown to the air base at Orleans, south of Paris, in the next few days.
France is due to receive a further three A400Ms by 2019, as set out by the 2014-19 military budget law.
The A400M programme still poses problems in fitting capabilities and cutting costs, Airbus said.
Airbus Defence and Space is working to deliver two key capabilities sought by France, namely in-flight refuelling of helicopters and dropping paratroopers from doors on both sides of the fuselage.
Airbus has signed a contract with Cobham for the British firm to build a hose for helicopter refuelling, with a test flight expected toward the end of 2018, an Airbus spokesman said.
Test parachute jumps have been made out the fuselage doors, backed by detailed computer modelling on the aerodynamics, he said.
Work on increasing weight and various pallets for cargo airdrops from the rear ramp continues.
Airbus has this year delivered 17 A400Ms, with expectations for 20 to be shipped by the end of 2017.
The company delivered 17 units last year, three short of the target.
