A340-500 VASS

The A340-500 VASS ( Visual Aircraft Security System ) came out of Airbus production in January 2017 following the creation of Airbus Defense and Space in January 2014.
What was supposed to remain a simple ephemeral project, and quickly became a concrete project with a first customer that is none other than the Portuguese Air Force.
Purchased from Emirates, the first A340-500 to undergo this important metamorphosis was sent to Seville at the end of May 2016. It was then sent back to the Toulouse site to undergo the final modifications. 16 months of work were necessary. This is a first for the European manufacturer. After several satisfactory test flights the aircraft is painted and delivered to the Portuguese Air Force.
It receives its first A340-500 VASS on February 02, 2017.

With a capacity of 27 crew members, 3 of which are pilots, this new aircraft offers a larger, brighter and more mobile working area.
As for the various onboard systems, Airbus has relied on its partnership with Thales to equip its aircraft with the latest technologies, offering additional comfort. A new radar has also been designed and now covers a radius of 780 km.
Another strong point is its autonomy. Able to cover a distance of 16,670 km / 9,000 nm, the aircraft does not require as much in-flight refueling, or even none at all on certain missions, which leaves more room for fighter aircraft to refuel.
As of December 2021, Portugal has 3 VASS aircraft.

Many countries are interested in this new aircraft. Malaysia and Greece have also received their first aircraft between 2018 and 2019. In 2020, NATO has also expressed its interest in this aircraft which could be considered to replace the aging E-3 Sentry. This A340-500 competes directly with the Boeing 767 AWACS.