Aircraft
A400M Deliveries Proceed, but Tactical Capabilities Are Late
A schedule to add airdrop, paratrooping etc is being amended
Germany will receive its first Airbus A400M in the next few days, but like the aircraft recently delivered to the UK (inset), it comes with only ‘strategic airlift’ capability. (Photos: Airbus D&S and UK MoD Crown Copyright)
Germany will receive its first Airbus A400M in the next few days, but like the aircraft recently delivered to the UK (inset), it comes with only ‘strategic airlift’ capability. (Photos: Airbus D&S and UK MoD Crown Copyright)

Although Airbus Defence and Space will have delivered 10 A400M airlifters by year-end, only one less than it planned, the introduction of tactical capabilities beyond basic strategic airlift has fallen well behind. That schedule has already been amended twice, once in 2011 as part of the renegotiation of the original contract with the seven partner nations, and again in 2012 after an engine development problem. The delays obliged the company to make provision in its latest financial statement for possible contract losses.