A400M Aircraft: Procurement
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the procurement of the A400M Atlas Aircraft on (a) national security, (b) the number of skilled jobs in the defence sector in (i) Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency and (ii) England and (c) economic growth.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The A400M aircraft entered service in 2014, primarily to provide tactical airlift and strategic oversize lift capabilities. In addition to this remit, A400M also has a 24/7 national standby commitment and has supported the UK Border Force with maritime reconnaissance in the English Channel, and long range search and rescue.
A400M wing production has sustained approximately 270 skilled jobs at Airbus' Filton base and it is estimated that almost 900 jobs have been sustained in the supply chain across the UK. To date, A400M production has contributed £1.5 billion to the UK economy.
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