The A400M fleet of Spain’s Ejército del Aire y del Espacio, based at Ala 31 in Zaragoza, has accumulated 15,000 flight hours. Operating from the Base Aérea de Zaragoza, these hours reflect extensive use in sustaining national air operations, including troop transport, medical evacuations, and heavy cargo missions.
The Airbus A400M Atlas serves as the backbone of Spain’s heavy strategic airlift capabilities. It can carry 116 soldiers or paratroopers, 66 stretchers with 25 medical staff, or up to 37 tons of cargo across 340 cubic meters. With a maximum speed of 780 km/h, a service ceiling of 12,192 meters, and a range of 6,390 km with 20 tons of payload—or 3,298 km at full load—the aircraft supports rapid deployments on unprepared runways and refueling in flight.
Spain currently operates 14 A400Ms, with plans for six more deliveries by 2029 to reach around 20 operational units, enhancing NATO-aligned mobility and humanitarian responses. The fleet has participated in evacuations, such as from Beirut in 2024, and logged 10,000 hours by October of that year. It replaces older C-130 Hercules models while operating alongside them in the past.