During the Dubai Airshow on November 18 the Indonesia Ministry Of Defence has placed an order for two Airbus A400M aircraft with a letter of intent (LOI) for the future acquisition of four additional aircraft.

Indonesia will become the tenth operating nation of the type and have ordered the A400M to be delivered in the multirole tanker and transport configuration. The contract will become effective in 2022 and includes a complete maintenance and training support package.

The A400M is envisioned to be utilised for the strengthening of the Indonesian Air Force’s capabilities to rapidly respond to any crisis including natural disasters and operate from damaged runways. This was demonstrated by the A400M during the aftermath of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the country in 2018. The A400M was the first large airlifting aircraft to carry heavy loads from a damaged and short runway in Palu, central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto said: “The A400M is a truly multi-role platform and will greatly enhance the Indonesian Air Force’s tactical air-to-air capabilities. This aircraft will play a key role in other key missions including paratrooping and heavy cargo transportation. We are also looking at additional A400M acquisition in the near term, with future A400M developments such as firefighting an important capability we are exploring jointly with Airbus. The A400M will become a national asset and the cornerstone for Human Assistance and Disaster Response missions, beyond its tactical and air-to-air capabilities.”