Airbus announced that an A400M Atlas has successfully refueled a US Navy V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft during a flight test conducted by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
“The A400M has successfully delivered fuel to a US Navy V-22 Osprey during a flight test campaign conducted by the Luftwaffe,” stated Airbus Defence & Space. “This further expands the role of the German A400Ms as tankers and marks a step towards increased interoperability with NATO partners.”
New receiver unlocked ✅The #A400M successfully gave fuel to a @USNavy V-22 Osprey during a flight test campaign conducted by @Team_Luftwaffe.This further expands the German A400M’s role as a tanker and marks a step towards increasing interoperability with #NATO partners. pic.twitter.com/3kisGZFfew
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) January 13, 2025
One of the most anticipated capabilities of the A400M was its ability to refuel helicopters mid-air, a task of particular importance for the French and German militaries. Helicopter operations in external theaters often require extensive refueling support, traditionally provided by the United States Air Force (USAF).
Mid-air refueling of helicopters presents unique technical challenges. It demands the tanker aircraft to maintain a low speed while the helicopter operates at near-maximum speed for several minutes. This complexity has delayed the A400M’s ability to assume the role.
During development, it became evident that the wake turbulence generated by the A400M was too strong to safely refuel helicopters in flight. To address this limitation, both France and Germany procured two KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, the same type used by the USAF, as an interim solution.
Since the initial setbacks, Airbus has made strides in testing the A400M’s helicopter refueling capabilities, using a redesigned drogue. In September 2019, Airbus and the French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) conducted the first successful helicopter mid-air refueling test using an H225M Caracal. Proximity tests with the H160 Guépard, a future tactical helicopter, were also promising.
The A400M is poised to gain several critical capabilities in the coming years. Colonel Markus Knoll, Commander of Air Transport Wing 62, emphasized the aircraft’s evolving operational scope.
“The most important capability is the ability to refuel helicopters, so that in the future we will also be able to refuel the [German] Air Force’s new ‘workhorse,’ the CH-47,” Knoll explained. “No less important will be the improvement of the self-protection system using a DIRCM, short for Direct Infrared Counter Measure.”
Since the first delivery on December 19, 2014, the Luftwaffe’s A400M fleet housed at Wunstorf Air Base has expanded to 47 aircraft, collectively completing over 50,000 flight hours.
