French A400M can now drop paratroopers through both doors.

This is unprecedented: the French Air Force has authorized the "extended" drop of paratroopers from the A400M Atlas. This means that paratroopers will now be able to jump simultaneously from both doors of the transport plane.

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The certification fight test, completed in May 2020 in coordination with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) and supported by the French and Belgian Armed Forces, combined an extensive paratrooping campaign of more than 1,000 jumps along with the implementation of new capability development methodologies based on recording and 3D modelling of paratrooper jump trajectories (Picture source: Airbus Defence and Space)

Until now, in-flight personnel drops could only be done from a single door. "The A400M thus doubles its dropping capacity, from now on to 58 drop paratroopers per door", explains Commander Fabien, chief of operations of the 1/61 "Touraine" transport squadron.

This capability opens a new horizon for the French spearhead of tactical transport, since the A400M Atlas is now able to take off from the metropolis, to perform a direct flight of more than 5,000 kilometers to drop more than one hundred paratroopers ready for battle. The extended drop will thus be able to be used very soon in the various theaters of foreign operations.

By combining this mode of action with the aircraft's exceptional speed, reach and maneuverability (already widely used in Operation Apagan), the A400M Atlas is now a major immediate response tool. crises and projection of forces, including in areas without aerodromes.

This decision is the culmination of a capability development process carried out in concert with the Army, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) and the industrialist Airbus.