A400M firefighting flight-test campaign enters a new phase
December 22, 2024
Over a period of two weeks Airbus Defence and Space carried out a ground and flight-test campaign of its A400M Roll-on/Roll-off firefighting prototype kit. The trials were undertaken in south-western and central Spain by an A400M development aircraft, A4M006, the oldest A400M still flying, previous test aircraft having been retired. The trials included six drops, three of which used red-coloured retardant and three using water. The A400M dropped 20,000 litres of retardant and created high concentration lines over 400 metres long on ground.
Airbus tested a removable firefighting demonstrator kit on the A400M for the first time in July 2022, quickly concluding that the A400M firefighting kit would offer additional capabilities not then available on the market. This was thanks to the A400M’s high-dropping capacity, high manoeuvrability (while meeting the latest safety standards), and day and night operation. It was helpful that the A400M is characterised by its ability to take off and land on short and unpaved runways, using a wide range of air bases and airfields. The decision was taken to develop a firefighting kit that could be used to convert any regular A400M in any fleet to a firefighting aircraft at very short notice.
The roll-on/roll-off firefighting kit developed by Airbus does not require any modification to the aircraft carrying it, and can therefore be rapidly fitted to any aircraft in the A400M fleet.
The water or retardant is stored in a tank in the cargo hold of the aircraft which can be filled in less than 10 minutes using standard high-pressure pumps on ground. To dispense the retardant, a door is opened using a mechanical lever, thereby allowing the liquid to flow out of the aircraft by gravity means through a discharge pipe. The current design of the prototype is capable of dropping 20,000 litres in a single pass.
Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space said that: “We have tested a new version of the kit, improving dropping efficiency and reducing discharge time by over 30% compared to last year, while combined with rapid deployment and easy installation on the A400M aircraft. We continue to pioneer new solutions and capabilities for our A400M fleet, in this case protecting populations and natural environments from fires.”
Technical advice was provided by Grupo 43 of the Spanish Air Force at Madrid/Torrejón, whose 431 Escuadrón operates CL-215T and CL-415 firefighting amphibians. This ensured that the A400M’s firefighting capabilities will have real operational value for any potential operator. Grupo 43 forms AGRUMEDA which is the flying component of the multi-service Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME), alongside a FAMET (Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra or Army aviation) unit BHELEME II, operating Super Pumas from Bétera.
