Airbus Defence and Space has successfully demonstrated that its A400M Atlas can safely land fully loaded on grass runways, a capability few heavy transport aircraft can match.
During summer 2025 trials in Altengrabow, Germany, pilots touched down a 123-tonne (271,168 pounds) A400M on soft, unpaved, vegetation-covered strips, testing the aircraft at maximum payload.
The trial, conducted in partnership with the German Armed Forces, assessed how the plane performs under austere conditions, confirming its versatility for military, humanitarian, and special operations missions.
Flight engineers used automatic instrumentation systems to capture thousands of data points in real time, providing insights that will feed into certification and fleet-wide deployment of the enhanced soft-field capability.
The Altengrabow tests allow the A400M to expand its operational envelope, landing on runways under 800 meters (2,600 feet) long and as narrow as 20 meters (66 feet).
This enables the aircraft to deliver larger payloads closer to the point of need, reducing rotation requirements in military operations and speeding humanitarian relief.
Improving Landing of Big Military Aircraft on Small Terrains
Globally, militaries are investing in technologies and procedures to allow heavy transport aircraft to operate from constrained or unprepared airfields. Short-field and soft-field landing techniques combine advanced flight control systems, reinforced landing gear, and precise approach procedures.
Airbus has leveraged the A400M’s fly-by-wire system and high thrust-to-weight ratio to enhance low-speed controllability, while daily airfield assessments — measuring soil bearing strength and surface variability — ensure safe operations on grass, dirt, or gravel.
Specific payload tests during the Altengrabow test demonstrated that the A400M can deliver vehicles, containers, or humanitarian cargo at maximum takeoff weights exceeding 120 tonnes (264,554 pounds) onto grass strips.
The aircraft successfully landed and offloaded light armored vehicles and large cargo pallets within 20 meters (66 feet) of runway width, while maintaining full operational safety margins.
Comparable efforts internationally include the US Air Force performing short-field landings of C-130s with armored personnel carriers and the French Air Force using NH90 helicopters to deliver relief supplies in remote, unpaved locations.
