RAF Atlas flies non-stop for 22 hours in its longest-ever flight

A Royal Air Force A400M Atlas has carried out the longest-ever flight of this aircraft type. 

The non-stop 22-hour flight from RAF Brize Norton kicked off the deployment for Exercise Mobility Guardian 23.

The Atlas flew to Guam and was refuelled on the way three times – over the Atlantic, Alaska, and finally over the Pacific Ocean.

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The first refuelling was carried out by a Voyager from 10/101 Squadron flying from the UK, and the second and third refuellings were carried out by a second Voyager operating from the US Air Force Eilson Airbase in Alaska.

During the flight, on 3 July, the route also took the Atlas closer to the North Pole over the Arctic ice cap than any previous flight by this aircraft type.

On arrival to Guam, the Atlas, together with an RAF Voyager, elements from the Tactical Medical Wing and other supporting personnel from across the RAF joined the exercise.

The RAF's Air Mobility Force Commander, Air Commodore Anthony Lyle said: "Exercise Mobility Guardian is an outstanding training opportunity for the Air Mobility Force; it allows us to demonstrate the speed, reach and utility of the RAF, underpinned by the assets from the Air Mobility Force and reinforces our ability to rapidly conduct global Air Operations.

"The non-stop flight of the A400M Atlas from RAF Brize Norton to Guam is a great example of our ability to project air power, allowing us to get aircraft, crews and vital equipment to the other side of the world in a timely manner and for them to be able to operate immediately".

Flight Lieutenant Andy York, from Voyager Force Training Flight said: "From an aircrew perspective this has been a challenging and rewarding sortie for all, to enable long-range projection of the RAF Air Mobility Fleet.

"The planning has been significant as well as the benefits of exercising long-range strategic air-to-air refuelling with another large aircraft type, conducted from forward-operating airports." 

In addition to the US aircraft taking part in Mobility Guardian, the RAF detachment will be joined by aircraft and personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand.

In June, the Atlas took over the lead of the RAF's tactical airlift of troops and equipment following the decommissioning of the C-130J Hercules.

There have been concerns over the Atlas' ability to replace the Hercules, with the new Chief of the Air Staff previously admitting there would be an initial capability gap.