The Airbus A400M, which made its first flight in late 2009 (after two years of delay and $7 billion in cost overruns), is built for flexibility: It can haul two attack helicopters or 116 soldiers, while remaining maneuverable enough to get in and out of the front lines quickly. The craft is powered by turboprops rather than jets, which can suck in debris on unimproved airfields.
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