What aircraft does Ethan Hunt hang from in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation?

Ethan Hunt hangs from an Airbus A400M Atlas in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. The aircraft carries a shipment of VX nerve gas, and Hunt clings to its exterior during takeoff in one of the film’s signature stunts.

The scene is designed to establish the extreme physical stakes of Hunt’s mission before the story fully reveals the Syndicate. He must reach the cargo aircraft, hold onto the side while it accelerates and rises, and enter the plane to stop the nerve gas from being delivered. The sequence combines practical aerial photography, stunt work, and visual effects, but Cruise performed the dangerous exterior riding himself.

The A400M Atlas is a European military transport aircraft developed by Airbus Defence and Space. It is much larger than a conventional tactical transport and uses four turboprop engines. Viewers sometimes identify the plane as a jet such as a C-17, or confuse it with an Antonov because of its size. The film specifically identifies the aircraft as the A400M, and its distinctive propellers are visible during the stunt.