Firebusting Airbus A400M tests distribution accuracy from under 30m drops: video
A firebusting Airbus A400M demonstrator has completed a series of new test drops during an independent assessment in Nîmes-Garons, France.
The Airbus A400M, fitted with the company’s Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) firefighting kit, carried out tests to determine the distribution accuracy of the equipment and concentration of retardant upon reaching the ground.
The independent assessment was conducted in April 2025 by the Entente-Valabre’s Test and Research Centre (CEREN), an international authority on forest firefighting equipment and personnel training.
The A400M performed rigorous multiple drops over a designated section of the airfield in so-called ‘cup grid’ tests, which allowed the CEREN to assess the system’s capabilities precisely.
During the drops, the aircraft flew at altitudes under 30 meters (98 feet) and at speeds of around 230 km/h (125 knots).
Jo Müller, Head of Sustainability and Communications at Airbus Defense and Space, said: “Following initial tests conducted in Spain, the successful completion of these tests in Nîmes is a crucial step forward in our ambition to shape an ecosystem of firefighting capabilities. The A400M’s exceptional versatility, combined with the rapid deployment capabilities of this kit, offers a game-changing asset to complement existing technologies and platforms on the ground, in air and in space.”
Airbus claims that the Ro-Ro firefighting kit offers “unique operational advantages previously unavailable on the market”.
Airbus #A400M Firefighting Kit completes a successful test campaign in France.Learn more: https://t.co/bT28IFkFHz pic.twitter.com/MY2KuDKv0w— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) June 26, 2025 “Its innovative roll-on/roll-off design requires no permanent modification to the aircraft, allowing any A400M in a fleet to be rapidly converted for firefighting missions on very short notice,” a spokesperson for Airbus Defense and Space said. “The system, housed in the cargo hold, can discharge up to 20,000 liters of water or retardant by gravity through the rear ramp, with tanks capable of being refilled in less than 10 minutes using standard ground pumps.”
Airbus is promoting the A400M’s ability to take off and land on short and unpaved runway, enabling operations from a wide range of air bases and airfields closer to fire zones.
The renowned Canadair CL-415 can hold around 6,000 liters of retardant. However, it holds an advantage over the A400M in its ability to scoop up water while in flight.
Airbus tested a removable firefighting demonstrator kit on the A400M for the first time in July 2022.
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The post Firebusting Airbus A400M tests distribution accuracy from under 30m drops: video appeared first on AeroTime.
A firebusting Airbus A400M demonstrator has completed a series of new test drops during an independent assessment in…
The post Firebusting Airbus A400M tests distribution accuracy from under 30m drops: video appeared first on AeroTime.
