About us
  |  
Advertising
  |  
Contact
  |  
Get Home Delivery
  |  
RSS
  |  
Share on your site
  |  
MULTIMEDIA
May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

Airbus A400M military transport plane set for Friday debut

People stand in line to enter to the new military Airbus A400M after its presentation in Seville, Spain, in this June 26, 2008 photo. The plane will make its maiden flight on Friday.
10 December 2009 / REUTERS, PARIS
The Airbus A400M military transport plane will make its maiden flight on Friday, and its success could be critical to a project that is under threat after nearly two years of delays and cost overruns.
The first flight will take place in Seville, southern Spain, a spokesman for parent company EADS said on Wednesday.

Seven European buyer nations are in talks with EADS over whether to save the 20 billion euro ($29.6 billion) defense program, and defense analysts have said a successful debut would give the project a boost.

Airbus had said it aimed to fly the plane by year-end, which is also the deadline for a political agreement on its future.

The A400M was designed to carry up to 37 tons of troops and heavy equipment such as helicopters and armored vehicles to war zones such as Afghanistan or to support humanitarian missions.

Manufacturers say that if they get the go-ahead to continue production, deliveries can start three years after the maiden flight, compared with an original first delivery target of 2009.

Defense sources say the two sides are discussing a deal that could lift the prospect of penalties and ease strains on EADS without necessarily calling on taxpayers for new funds in the near future, something buyers have ruled out amid recession.

Germany, which ordered 60 of the planes, has however expressed reluctance about allowing any contract changes.

Its Deputy Defense Minister Christian Schmidt said on Wednesday it still needed all the planes it had ordered and had not received any additional financial requests from EADS.

Airbus is due to build 180 of the propeller-driven transport planes for Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and Turkey. South Africa canceled an order for eight last month but Malaysia is so far sticking with an export order for four planes.

The A400M would give Europe its own heavyweight transport fleet and aim for a niche in export markets between the smaller Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and the Boeing C-17 jet-powered transport plane, which can carry 75 tons.

US defense giant Lockheed has said delays in developing the A400M could boost sales of its own aircraft.

 
Weather
City>>
ISTANBUL
Today Mon Tue
14C°
22C°
15C°
23C°
15C°
22C°
 

© Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş. 2007, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cad. No: 6, Bahçelievler - İstanbul 34194 Turkey, +90 (212) 454 1454, +90 (212) 454 1497(fax)