A400M to have maiden flight summer 2008

European planemaker Airbus has won nearly 200 orders for its A400M military transport plane, which will make its long-awaited maiden flight this summer with no further delays, the firm's chief said on Wednesday.

Airbus A400M
(Image © AIRBUS MILITARY)

In January Airbus, owned by European aerospace group EADS, said that the A400M, a 20-billion-euro (15-billion-pound) project that has spanned two decades due to funding disputes, will be delayed for between 6-12 months due to engine problems.

"We intend to fly the aircraft in summer this year," Chief Executive Tom Enders told reporters at a press conference at the Singapore Airshow.

"We are in the time frame that we have predicted, that is, up to one year," Enders said when asked about further delays to the A400M project. He said Airbus expects to receive another 200 orders for the military jet.

The A400M is designed to provide Europe with a large transport plane that can fly troops and equipment into conflict zones or assist in humanitarian missions. Germany, France, Spain and Britain are lined up as its biggest customers.

The A400M so far has 192 orders including 180 from the seven launch nations - Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg - as well as eight from South Africa and four from Malaysia.

Enders said Airbus, has not received any cancellations for the A400M orders, and that the engine for the aircraft would be tested in April. The aircraft could fly with engines from France's Safran and Britain's Rolls-Royce.

The development of the A400M, whose four turboprop engines are among the largest ever built, was being closely watched by the industry partly because the technology used is expected to feed into advances in Airbus airliners.

The A400M's main rivals are the Lockheed-Martin's C130J Hercules and the larger C-17 Globemaster from Boeing, whose production the U.S. company is expected to halt around the end of 2009.

Source: Reuters

To find out how your company can successfully compete for European aerospace sector procurement opportunities, contact Jeffrey Strategic.