Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the A400M Atlas to be approved for (a) airdrop and (b) operational deployments.

The Atlas A400M has long been approved on operational deployments. It regularly undertakes logistic support to global operations, and has supported humanitarian and disaster relief operations. It is detached in both the broader Middle East and the South Atlantic Islands, where it has provided airdrop support to the British Antarctic Survey.

The Department has acknowledged that a few niche airdrop capabilities remain to be approved for Atlas, but those clearances are expected between now and 2025.