Photograph: Airbus A400M (54+21) taken by Paul Cremin on 20 July 2025 at the Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, shot with a Canon EOS 7D Mk II and a Canon 100–400mm zoom lens at 300mm, f/14, 1/200 sec, ISO 200.
The Airbus A400M Atlas with tactical registration 54+21 (Manufacturer Serial Number MSN 079) has an active and notable operational history serving under Lufttransportgeschwader 62 (LTG 62), the 62nd Air Transport Wing of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), based at Wunstorf Air Base.
The aircraft was built at the Airbus Defence and Space final assembly line in Sevilla (SVQ), Spain. During its pre-delivery phase, it wore the test registrations EC-409 and A4M079. Formally delivered to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) in August 2018, it was ferried directly from Seville to its permanent home station at Wunstorf (ETNW) on 9 August 2018.
As a multi-role strategic and tactical airlifter configured for troop transport, heavy vehicle cargo, medical evacuation (MedEvac), and in-flight refuelling, 54+21 has participated in major domestic and international training exercises, operations, and airshows.
54+21 was selected as one of the hallmark aircraft representing the German Air Force during Air Defender 2023, the largest air deployment exercise in NATO's history. To mark the occasion, the aircraft was repainted in a highly recognisable "Air Defender 2023" special livery, which it wore from April 2023 until April 2024.
Because of its unique livery and high availability, 54+21 frequently acted as a flagship display aircraft for the Luftwaffe. It completed highly publicised tactical flying routines across Europe, including a prominent display at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 at RAF Fairford.
The airframe has been photographed supporting global Luftwaffe deployments and supply lines across various continents, ranging from European NATO partner bases to remote staging points like Curaçao and Santa Maria Island in the Atlantic.
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