More than decade of work developing the next generation of flying transporters has yielded the Airbus A400M Atlas; a massive new rig to be rolled out sometime this year.

Many transport operators would dream of having access to the haulage-ability of the a400M Atlas; it measures 45.1 metres long with a 42.4 metre wingspan, powered by four 8202kW Europrop TP400-D6 engines and four eight-bladed 5.2 metre diameter “scimitar” props, granting the plane a 780.5km/h cruising speed, a service ceiling of more than 11,277 metres and a range of 3298km to 6389km, depending on the load. The Atlas’ incredible power plant allows it to practically leap into the air, taking off from short runaways as little as 980 metres long.

Most impressive logistically speaking is the new plane’s cargo capacity. It can hold 37,013kg in an area 17.7m long, 4m wide, and 3.7m tall, roughly double the amount the current military standard Hercules can.

Various complications in the nations of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium, and Luxembourg have slowed the development of the Atlas since it began over ten years ago. Airbus is still under contract to produce more than 200 A400Ms at a pace of 30 per year, beginning later this year.