UK Order Adds Momentum for Launch of A400M

ILA 2000: "I would judge it a joke if on one hand we are creating a European aerospace company and on the other somebody wants to buy a military transport made in the Ukraine or the US." So says Rainer Hertrich, CEO of EADS (80% shareholder in Airbus, parent of the seven-nation Airbus Military Company set up to develop the A400M transport).

The seven-nation Airbus Military Company wants Germany to back the A400M.

Airbus Military plans to build the A400M to latest commercial standards using commercial engineering, scheduling and cost procedures. The result will be an ultra-modern fly-by-wire military transport incorporating airline-standard reliability and maintainability, delivered on budget and on time.

The UK three weeks ago became the first country to commit to the A400M, with a launch order for 25 of the $80 million aircraft. Five of the other partner nations in the Airbus Military Company -- France, Spain, Turkey, Belgium and Italy -- have pledged their support and confirmed a requirement for 130 aircraft. Now all are waiting for Germany to officially commit, following a statement of qualified support from German defense minister Rudolf Scharping just before ILA. With an expected requirement of 155 now identified, Airbus could launch the A400M by year end.

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