On September 1, 2021, Airbus Group announced the conclusion of a contract for the supply of two A400M turboprop four-engine military transport aircraft to the armed forces of Kazakhstan. The first of them should be delivered in 2024.
Image of the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft of the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan (c) Airbus
Thus, Kazakhstan became the ninth customer of the A400M aircraft, and the second-outside the original European consortium for the development and purchase of these aircraft (after Malaysia, which received four aircraft in 2015-2017; the contract for the supply of A400M to South Africa was canceled). Taking into account the two Kazakh aircraft, the total order portfolio for the A400M has reached 176 aircraft, of which 104 have been delivered to date.
It should be recalled that Kazakhstan has shown interest in purchasing A400M aircraft at least since 2010, and the A400M aircraft has been demonstrated in Kazakhstan several times.
Earlier, Kazakhstan purchased nine light twin-engine military transport aircraft C295M from the Airbus group, eight of which were received by the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan in 2012-2017, and another one in the performance of C295W-the Border Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan in 2020.
Simultaneously with the signing of the contract for the supply of two A400M aircraft to Kazakhstan, Airbus also announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kazakh side on cooperation in the field of maintenance and overhaul of A400M and C295 aircraft in Kazakhstan, as well as the signing of an agreement on the first stage in the creation of a local C295 aircraft maintenance center in Kazakhstan.
Image of the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft of the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan (c) Airbus
