Full Breakdown
Airbus Extends Support Contract to Raise RAF A400M Availability
By Drooid · · How we work
Contract Overview
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a direct-award extension to Airbus for the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas fleet. Valued at just under £190 million, the agreement runs from 1 October 2024 to 30 April 2029, with an optional twelve-month extension to April 2030 if required for national in-service support. The contract continues maintenance, repair and support services at Airbus’s UK Support Centre on RAF Brize Norton.
Expected Operational Gains
The MoD states the extension will lift the number of mission-capable A400M aircraft available each day from ten to thirteen by the end of 2027, representing a roughly 30 percent improvement in fleet availability. With a total of twenty-two A400Ms delivered since 2014, the increase moves the usable portion of the fleet from about half to close to three-fifths, enhancing the RAF’s tactical and strategic air-lift capacity for humanitarian relief, rapid troop deployment and NATO commitments.
Employment and Industrial Impact
The deal is projected to sustain more than 350 UK jobs, including over 240 Airbus staff and 110 primary sub-contractors. By retaining this workforce at Brize Norton and nearby Carterton, the MoD highlights the contract’s role in supporting the UK defence industrial base and delivering value for taxpayers.
Government and Airbus Responses
Air Commodore Si Young, Head of Air Mobility in National Armaments Materiel, noted that the agreement builds on recent availability gains and offers “excellent value for money.” Kata Escott, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK, affirmed Airbus’s commitment to the MoD and the importance of the A400M as the backbone of UK air mobility, linking the contract to the broader Defence Investment Plan’s £298 billion funding over the next four years.
Timeline
- 8 September 2024: Award decision announced.
- 1 October 2024 – 30 April 2029: Contract period (with possible extension to April 2030).
- End 2027: Target date for raising daily mission-capable aircraft to thirteen.