Prime Minister welcomes RAF's first A400M Atlas to the UK
David Cameron visited RAF Brize Norton to see the A400M Atlas Military Transport Aircraft, the latest addition to the Royal Air Force fleet.
![PM at RAF Brize Norton](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a618f52ed915d0afa3b22c9/s300_PM-Brize-Norton-960.jpg)
The Prime Minister has welcomed the arrival of the newest addition to the Royal Air Force fleet, the A400M Atlas. Based at Brize Norton, this is the first of 22 A400Ms that the UK will take delivery of, greatly enhancing its strategic military capability.
The A400M is designed and built to operate in the toughest locations, ensuring it can respond to the changing needs of a modern air force. It is capable of carrying up to 116 paratroopers or 17 tonnes over 3,000 miles, or over 4,000 miles with minimal load in one non-stop excursion.
Its unique landing and take-off capability means it can also get to where the action is in minimal time, so it can provide much needed humanitarian aid.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
The arrival of the A400M Atlas will greatly add to our defence capabilities – increasing our ability to move troops and deliver military equipment, aid and medical supplies anywhere in the world quickly and effectively.
It will be a huge contributor to future air mobility in the RAF and is a further example of this government’s continued investment in the equipment our Armed Forces need, which is only possible thanks to difficult decisions taken elsewhere as part of our long term economic plan. I know from my postbag how much local people appreciate the loyalty and endeavour the RAF at Brize display on our behalf and the expansion of RAF Brize Norton is good news for us locally.