Germany approves A400M contract but resells some aircraft

26th January 201111th May 2018 Nicolas Gros Verheyde

TestA400MFatigue@Airbus110118 — The A400M being tested in Dresden in January 2011 (Credit: Airbus military)

Germany will respect the agreement concluded in the autumn between the 7 partners of the A400M, the European military aircraft. But it will finally receive only 40 planes instead of 53 as planned. This was announced by the budget rapporteur in the Bundestag, Jurgen Koppelin (1), which belongs to the liberal party (FDP) member of the government coalition.

13 devices sold

According to the agreement between the manufacturing states, Germany has ordered 53 aircraft. The difference between the original order and the statements of the German MP relates to 13 devices. These 13 aircraft will remain on order but will have to be resold by Airbus Military. The conditions of this resale remain unclear for the moment.

This political and economic "trick" allows the German government above all to respect the agreement between the manufacturing countries (which allowed a reduction in the order but only by 10% of the devices initially ordered) and to reduce its budgetary commitments for the years to come. as well as to respect the opinion of the Federal Court which had only approved the firm purchase of 40 devices and to overcome a Bundestag rather reluctant to respect such a volume of expenditure.

The cost for Germany of the 53 aircraft amounts to 8,3 billion euros, plus a repayable loan of 500 million euros (out of a total loan of 1,5 billion euros). Germany, which will be delivered at the end of 2013, beginning of 2014 for its first aircraft, will in any case not be able to think of saving money before 2016, estimated Koppelin.

Germany loses its place as the first customer of the A400M

This is not the first time that the Chamber of Deputies has planed the order. Initially, Germany had ordered 93 aircraft (under the Schroder government). Order then reduced to 60 aircraft. The latest developments, with the delay, had led Germany to further reduce its order to 53 aircraft. This figure was believed to be stable. But it was without counting on the will, in particular of the FDP partner of the coalition, to see the federal budget contained within a narrower limit. Proponents of fiscal restraint won. Now it's down to 40 planes. Germany thus gives up the place of first customer of the military Airbus and passes behind France (which maintains its order 50 planes).

How to resell planes: problem...

This news will only half delight the European manufacturer. Certainly the German agreement removes a serious thorn from the foot. Until the last moment there remained a doubt about the execution of this agreement across the Rhine. But she adds one more: how to resell her devices and to whom? (the negotiation started with the Chinese, interested for a moment by the plane, did not succeed).

Fatigue tests started in Dresden

This news coincides with the launch in Germany, in Dresden, of a new series of tests intended to test the resistance of the A400M to all bad weather. During an initial period of 4 weeks, 24 hours a day, the aircraft will thus be subjected to all sorts of tests making it possible to simulate up to 24 flights in a single day. A test necessary to receive certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) which requires the simulation of 160 flights.

(1) See the declaration of the deputy on the site of Augergeradeaus