Ten years ago, Airbus Military began working on a new transport aircraft that would take Europe into the next century of aerial warfare.
Backed by seven European members of NATO: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, the aircraft program suffered years of delays and cost €20 billion ($26.1 billion).
Now, the A400M Atlas is almost here.
Scheduled for first delivery to the French army in time for July 14 Bastille Day celebrations, the turboprop plane is designed to be capable of everything its new owners need, from midair refueling to paratrooper drop-offs to landings on short and unpaved runways.
It can even carry more than 80,000 pounds of cargo, while remaining remarkably agile in the air.
And according to Airbus parent company EADS, even the Americans are interested.
The A400M cruises 37,000 feet above the ground, at Mach .72 (72% the speed of sound). It can fly more than 5,400 miles on a tank of gas.
It can fly as high as 40,000 feet, and did high altitude testing in La Paz, Bolivia.
Thanks to shock absorbing landing gear, it can touch down on unpaved airstrips, a key feature for use in emergency and military situations.
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