RAF A400M Atlas proves its worth on the biggest US Air Force exercise of the year

A Royal Air Force A400M Atlas aircraft from Brize Norton that is deployed to Guam in the Western Pacific has carried out multiple sorties in various roles during Exercise Mobility Guardian 23.

The Atlas, after first conducting the longest-ever flight by this type of aircraft to demonstrate a long-range strategic insertion into a theatre of operations, has been carrying out a busy programme of sorties as part of the US Air Mobility Command largest exercise of the year.

The aircraft kicked off the deployment for Ex Mobility Guardian 23 with a 22-hour non-stop flight from its Oxfordshire base to Guam, refuelling three times on the way – over the Atlantic, Alaska, and finally over the Pacific Ocean.

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The Atlas Detachment Commander for Exercise Mobility Guardian 23, Squadron Leader Hedley Myers, said: "The flight out was designed to test and prove the concept of long-range insertion.

"The flight generated extremely useful data for future operations and was the first time that an RAF Atlas has been Air to Air Refuelled to maximum whilst carrying a full load.

"We will use this data to hone our calculations to enable us to carry more freight, further in future iterations."

During the insertion flight, the Atlas carried a full load of palletised and wheeled freight equating to nine aircraft pallets weighing approximately seven tonnes, that included a ground power generator, two Critical Care Air Support Team stretcher fits, aircraft spares and general exercise freight, together with 17 passengers.

On arrival at Anderson Air Base in Guam, the first Atlas sortie involved the transportation of equipment and personnel from the United States Air Force from Guam to Palau in the Philippines.

The loads moved equated to four C130J sorties, with the Atlas carrying out the task in half that number of sorties thereby showcasing the aircraft’s enhanced capability and performance.

The Atlas, throughout the exercise, has demonstrated its worth and the ability to resupply ground forces via a long-range airdrop as part of a large multi-aircraft package comprising C-130s, C-17s and A400Ms from the other nations taking part in the exercise.