By Tim Hepher
PARIS (Reuters) Jan 23rd, 2008 - European aerospace group EADS on Friday denied it was preparing for a possible collapse of the 20 billion euro A400M military aircraft programme as it tries to renegotiate late delivery penalties.
EADS has suspended production of the aircraft designed to carry troops and equipment to rugged combat zones like Afghanistan because of a row with engine makers over delays.
The Financial Times Deutschland reported potential losses had forced the Airbus parent company to question its role in Europe's biggest single arms development.
"According to FTD information, the mass of A400M problems is prompting a discussion at EADS over whether the project should be maintained," the newspaper reported.
The FTD quoted the head of Germany's air force as saying deliveries to the Luftwaffe of the troop and cargo plane would be delayed for as much as four years to 2014.
"That is a disastrous development," he was reported saying.
EADS shares...

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PARIS Jan23rd, 2009 – Airbus is facing much more than just contractual and schedule challenges in its A400M military airlifter program, as the aircraft may need massive re-engineering work to achieve its performance targets.
In turn, numerous issues threaten to make the A400M a less attractive and capable aircraft for its customers, industry sources tell Aviation Week. They come in addition to the well-publicized delays in the flight-test program that are linked to the lagging engine full authority digital engine control (FADEC) development (Aerospace DAILY, Nov. 25, 2008).
One key area of concern appears to be the A400M being overweight, which would negatively affect the aircraft’s payload and range capabilities. Sources close to the program say the aircraft is significantly heavy in its current development status. The first six units to be used in the flight-test program are 12 tons heavier than planned, those sources say. A weight savings campaign has identified a reduction potential of ...

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Jan 25, 2009
By Jens Flottau and Robert Wall

Airbus is facing much more than just contractual and schedule challenges in its A400M military airlifter program - the company may need to do a great deal of re-engineering work to achieve the aircraft's performance targets.

Numerous issues threaten to make the A400M a less attractive and capable aircraft, industry officials say, on top of the well-publicized delays in the flight-test program linked to the lagging engine Fadec development.

One key area of concern is that the A400M is overweight, which would negatively affect its payload and range capabilities. According to Airbus Military data, maximum payload is 37 tons and range is 1,780 naut. mi. with a full payload. But people close to the program say the aircraft is considerably heavier in its current development status. The first six units to be used in the flight-test program are 12 tons heavier than planned, according to those executives. A weight-saving campaign has identified a...

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Reuters, Thursday January 22 2009
By Sophie Hardach
PARIS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - France will ask European customers of the Airbus
A400M military transport project to assess the impact of the latest delays
proposed by the manufacturer, and expects an answer by June, a French
defence official said.
France, one of seven European NATO countries that originally ordered the
A400M, is in talks with Airbus parent EADS over the timetable and financial
terms after the group this month proposed lengthening output delays to three
to four years, from two.
French Defence Minister Herve Morin will tour France's European partners and
ask them to assess the financial and operational consequences of the delay,
said Gen. Christian Baptiste, deputy spokesman at the defence ministry.
"We expect them to express their position -- be it a joint position or an
individual one -- by the end of Spring," he said after a press briefing at
the ministry, adding that Spring ran from March to June.
France...

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EADS wants A400M contract change, adds delay
01.09.09, 05:06 PM EST

By James Regan and Tim Hepher
PARIS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Airbus parent EADS, seeking to bolster a troubled
European military project, called on Friday for a renegotiated contract with
NATO nations and indicated the A400M airlifter would not be ready before
2012.
The plane -- designed to plug gaps in transport capacity in conflict zones
like Afghanistan or to carry out humanitarian missions -- has been hit by
delays in building its massive turbo-prop engines, sparking a public row
with suppliers.
EADS has in turn been unable to meet its obligations to seven European NATO
countries that ordered the plane in the largest single European arms
purchase in 2003, placed through procurement agency OCCAR.
In a statement after markets closed on Friday, EADS said it wanted to
'discuss the programme schedule along with changes to other areas of the
contract including in particular certain technical characteristics.'
People...

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