Royal ceremony as A400M transport planes enter service at RAF Brize Norton

Twenty two A400M aircraft are due to enter service with the RAF by 2018

The RAF's new fleet of transport aircraft has officially come into service in Oxfordshire.

The A400M Atlas planes are being operated by 70 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton.

The aircraft will replace the existing fleet of C-130 Hercules, which has been the workhorse of the RAF's air transport fleet for decades.

A new standard was presented to the squadron by the Princess Royal during a Standing Up ceremony.

The Airbus-manufactured planes are capable of flying almost twice as fast, twice as far and carrying almost twice as much cargo than its predecessor.

Commanding officer, Wing Commander Simon Boyle, said: "For a large aircraft, it's extremely manoeuvrable - it's a very exciting time for us."

A new standard was presented to the squadron by the Princess Royal

The A400M is capable of carrying almost twice as much cargo as its predecessor, the C-130 Hercules

The UK is the third country to operate the aircraft, after France and Turkey and the £2.8bn programme will see a total of 22 aircraft delivered to the RAF.

They have a cargo capacity of 32 tonnes and are capable of carrying passengers, heavy vehicles, helicopters or cargo pallets to support military tasks and humanitarian relief efforts.

The fleet will eventually replace the C-130 Hercules which is being phased out by 2022.

All A400M aircraft were grounded after one crashed near Seville on 9 May after a failed emergency landing during its first flight.

The RAF said flights resumed on 15 June following a formal safety review.