Originally slated for December, Airbus delivered a new A400M to the binational BNU A400M unit in Melsbroek on January 14th. In the early afternoon, the plane arrived in Belgium from Seville, Spain. While the C-130s are no longer in service, the Belgian-Luxembourg fleet currently includes six aircraft out of eight, including seven for Belgium and one for Luxembourg, which will make up the difference at the end.
Another delivery is planned for this year, with the final one slated for January 2024. Full Operational Capability (FOC) is expected in 2024. This year, the A400M has been more visible during drills and has completed its first operational flights.
If operational capacity allows, the A400M might make its initial three-month deployment in Mali inside the Minusma towards the end of 2022. It will take place within the context of the Multinational Rotation Concept (MRC) and will be coordinated by Norway. The Netherlands now provides the rotation for six months.
