400M military aircraft carries out first firefighting mission in France

The Airbus A400M making its first-ever drop over the wildfire near Lacanau in south-west France An A400M military aircraft has carried out its first firefighting mission in south-west France. The aircraft has the ability to drop 20 tonnes of retardant or water and can reach vulnerable areas, the French interior ministry has said. The ministry and French armed forces have decided to provide and equip the A400M on an experimental basis to strengthen the country's ability to fight forest fires.