Britain's Royal Air Force has taken possession of the first of 22 Airbus A400M airlifters, becoming the third country to bring the aircraft into service.

The aircraft was delivered by OCCAR-EA, a European Union organization that focuses on through-life management of cooperative defense equipment programs. OCCAR said it also negotiated and signed a contract with Airbus Defense and Space for integrated support for initial A400M deliveries to Britain.

The contract was signed in cooperation with France, another A400M operator, for shared operational support services.

The A400M is a a four-engine turboprop first introduced into service last year by the French military. It has a cruise speed of 485 miles per hour, a payload capacity of 81,600 pounds and a range of 2,049 miles with maximum payload.

The A400M delivered to the RAF will operate from a base in Brize Norton.

Five of the Airbus planes have been delivered to France and one to Turkey so far. Germany is expected to receive its first A400M later this year.