After testing a beach landing capability with a Royal Air Force A400M earlier this month, Airbus Defence & Space says it is on track to qualify a redesigned helicopter refuelling system.
Airbus is working to address requirements that the A400M is currently unable to meet. The company has successfully tested an extended refuelling hose that can allow the Atlas to support helicopters, according to Airbus head of military aircraft, Fernando Alonso. It is now waiting for Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) to approve the proposed redesign.