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Britain gets its first Airbus A400M

PARIS (Reuters) - Britain has taken delivery of the first of 22 A400M military transport aircraft it has ordered, Airbus confirmed on Friday.

The aircraft, which is conducting training missions ahead of a ceremonial handover widely expected by the end of the month, is the sixth A400M to be delivered so far this year.

Deliveries of the new European troop carrier are being closely monitored by investors after Airbus said last week it was considering a possible fourth-quarter charge related to new delivery delays, but that it was sticking to its target of 10 deliveries for 2014.

"We confirm that contractual transfer of title took place on Nov. 14 and the aircraft was subsequently flown by the RAF to Brize Norton," an Airbus Military spokesman said, in response to a Reuters query after pictures of the aircraft appeared on social media.

A spokeswoman for the UK defence ministry said the aircraft was conducting trials and the date of the formal handover had not yet been set.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher and Sarah Young in London; Editing by Natalie Huet)