Defence Ministry confirms second A400M to arrive by end of March 2026

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) has confirmed that the second A400M transport aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) will arrive by the end of March 2026.

“The Airbus A400M is estimated to arrive in Indonesia by the end of March 2026,” said the Head of the Defence Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the General Secretariat of Kemhan, Brigadier General (Brigjen) TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, in Jakarta on Wednesday.

This largest transport aircraft owned by the TNI AU will become Indonesia’s second unit after the first A400M landed at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on 3 November 2025.

Currently, the aircraft is en route from its manufacturing site in Seville, Spain, to Indonesia.

Rico assured that with the arrival of this second A400M, the TNI AU will be even stronger in safeguarding Indonesia’s airspace territory.

It is worth noting that the contract for the purchase of two A400M units was signed by President Prabowo Subianto when he served as Minister of Defence in 2021 during the Dubai Airshow 2021.

At the same event, Kemhan also signed a letter of intent (LoI) for the purchase of four additional A400M units in the future.

The heavy transport aircraft A400M is a versatile aircraft capable of heavy cargo transportation, aerial refuelling, and humanitarian and combat operations.

The A400M was first showcased by Airbus in Indonesia in March 2017. Subsequently, a French Air Force A400M delivered aid to Lombok during the earthquake in August 2018, and a Malaysian Air Force A400M landed in Palu to deliver aid in October 2018.

As narrated in the official broadcast of the Ministry of Defence, the A400M is reliable for tactical transport, personnel and goods delivery, and landing in various terrains. For tactical transport, the A400M can load and carry heavy and wide-dimensional goods and logistics equipment.

The heavy loads that the A400M can carry include a 80-ton fuel truck and an excavator.

Furthermore, the A400M can transport 116 personnel with full combat-ready equipment, as well as a Patriot missile launcher and a heavy tactical HEMTT Truck.

Indonesia has now officially become the 10th operator of the A400M. In Asia, there are four countries using the A400M: Malaysia as the first, followed by Turkey and Kazakhstan.