The Airbus A400M is a four-engine turboprop military transport and tanker, designed by Airbus Military. It is the largest military aircraft designed and built in Western Europe.
Development
The project began as the Future International Military Airlifter (FIMA) group, set up in 1982 by Aerospatiale, British Aerospace, Lockheed, and MBB to develop a replacement for the C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall. Varying requirements and the complications of international politics caused slow progress. In 1989 Lockheed left the grouping and went on to develop an upgraded Hercules, the C-130J. With the addition of Alenia and CASA the FIMA group became Euroflag.
The partner nations, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium, and Luxembourg, signed an agreement in May 2003 to buy 212 aircraft. These nations decided to charge OCCAR with the management of the acquisition of the A400M.
Following the withdrawal of Italy and revision of procurement totals the revised requirement was for 180 aircraft, with first flight in 2008 and first delivery in 2009. On 28 April 2005, South Africa joined the partnership programme with the state owned Denel Aerospace Systems receiving a contract for fuselage components.
Production
The A400M assembly at the Seville plant of EADS Spain started in Q1 2007. Airbus plans to manufacture thirty aircraft per year. The major assemblies arrive by Airbus Beluga transporters. The four EuroProp TP400-D6 flight test engines have been delivered in late February 2008 for the first Airbus A400M. According to EADS the first "static tests" of a dedicated A400M complete structure were started on 14th March in Spain.
The first test flight, scheduled until recently for Q1 2008, has been postponed due to repeated program delays, schedule adjustments and mounting financial pressures. EADS announced in early January 2008 that continued development problems with the engines has resulted in a delay to Q2 2008 before the first engine test flights on a C130 testbed aircraft. The first flight of the aircraft, previously scheduled for July 2008 timeframe is now TBD, but a best estimate would be late 2008. There are also stories in the international Aviation Press, denied by Airbus Executives, that the aircraft faces other design and or development issues related to wings and fuselage components. Civil certification under EASA CS-25 will be followed later by certification for military purposes. The A400M was "rolled out" in Seville on 26th June 2008 at an event presided by King Juan Carlos I of Spain, while the maiden flight is set for Summer 2008
Sales
On 9 December 2004, the South African Air Force announced it was to purchase eight A400Ms at the total cost of €837 million, and had options on 6 more, with South Africa therefore joining the Airbus Military team as an industrial partner. Deliveries are expected from 2010 to 2014.
On 18 July 2005, the Chilean Air Force signed a MOU for 3 aircraft to be delivered between 2018 and 2022, although the deal was later cancelled.
On 8 December 2005 the Royal Malaysian Air Force ordered four A400M, to replace its ageing fleet of C-130s.
Airbus Military made a bid in 2006 to supply Canada the A400M to meet a tender request for 17 new tactical airlifters to replace their old CC-130E models.. The Canadians ordered four Boeing C-17s and 17 C-130J Super Hercules and the A400M was not successful.
Design
The Airbus A400M will increase the airlift capacity and range compared to the aircraft it was originally set to replace, the older versions of the Hercules and Transall. Cargo capacity is expected to double over existing aircraft, both in payload and volume, and range is increased substantially as well.
The Airbus A400M will operate in many configurations including cargo transport, troop transport, MEDEVAC, aerial refuelling, and electronic surveillance.
The cockpit features a fly-by-wire flight control system with sidestick controllers and flight envelope protection. Like Airbus' other aircraft, the A400M will have a full glass cockpit (all information accessed through large colour screens) and as such will represent a technological leap compared to the older C-130s and C-160s that many countries now operate.
The A400M's wings are primarily carbon fibre reinforced plastic. The eight-bladed Scimitar propeller is made from a carbon spar and a composite shell.
High performance turboprop engines will allow operation in a civil air traffic control environment. Originally the SNECMA M138 turboprop (based on the M88 core) was selected to power the A400M. Airbus Military issued a new Request for Proposal in April 2002 which Pratt & Whitney Canada and Europrop answered. Airbus Military announced, after evaluating both designs, the selection of the Europrop TP400-D6 in May 2003.
Operators
Orders
| Date | Country | EIS | Orders |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2003 | Germany | 2010 | 60 |
| May 27, 2003 | France | 2009 | 50 |
| May 27, 2003 | Spain | 2011 | 27 |
| May 27, 2003 | UK | 2010 | 25 |
| May 27, 2003 | Turkey | 2009 | 10 |
| May 27, 2003 | Belgium | 2018 | 7 |
| May 27, 2003 | Luxembourg | 2017 | 1 |
| December 15, 2004 | South Africa | 2010 | 8 |
| December 8, 2005 | Malaysia | 2013 | 4 |
| Total: | 192 |
Specifications
See also
References
External links
- Airbus Military
- A400M Countdown
- A400M history, photo gallery and technical details (EADS-CASA website)
- OCCAR
- A400M program suppliers at Airframer.com
- Airforce-Technology.com page on A400M
- BBC video of unveiling of the A400M
- A collection of high resolution images, videos and articles (in spanish) about the Airbus A400M roll-out
- Official unveiling in Seville
- MachineDesign article on A400M
- CASR Backgrounder on A400M - Illustrated
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday July 25, 2008 at 04:39:07 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
The Airbus A400M is a four-engine turboprop military transport and tanker, designed by Airbus Military. It is the largest military aircraft designed and built in Western Europe.
Development
The project began as the Future International Military Airlifter (FIMA) group, set up in 1982 by Aerospatiale, British Aerospace, Lockheed, and MBB to develop a replacement for the C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall. Varying requirements and the complications of international politics caused slow progress. In 1989 Lockheed left the grouping and went on to develop an upgraded Hercules, the C-130J. With the addition of Alenia and CASA the FIMA group became Euroflag.
The partner nations, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium, and Luxembourg, signed an agreement in May 2003 to buy 212 aircraft. These nations decided to charge OCCAR with the management of the acquisition of the A400M.
Following the withdrawal of Italy and revision of procurement totals the revised requirement was for 180 aircraft, with first flight in 2008 and first delivery in 2009. On 28 April 2005, South Africa joined the partnership programme with the state owned Denel Aerospace Systems receiving a contract for fuselage components.
Production
The A400M assembly at the Seville plant of EADS Spain started in Q1 2007. Airbus plans to manufacture thirty aircraft per year. The major assemblies arrive by Airbus Beluga transporters. The four EuroProp TP400-D6 flight test engines have been delivered in late February 2008 for the first Airbus A400M. According to EADS the first "static tests" of a dedicated A400M complete structure were started on 14th March in Spain.
The first test flight, scheduled until recently for Q1 2008, has been postponed due to repeated program delays, schedule adjustments and mounting financial pressures. EADS announced in early January 2008 that continued development problems with the engines has resulted in a delay to Q2 2008 before the first engine test flights on a C130 testbed aircraft. The first flight of the aircraft, previously scheduled for July 2008 timeframe is now TBD, but a best estimate would be late 2008. There are also stories in the international Aviation Press, denied by Airbus Executives, that the aircraft faces other design and or development issues related to wings and fuselage components. Civil certification under EASA CS-25 will be followed later by certification for military purposes. The A400M was "rolled out" in Seville on 26th June 2008 at an event presided by King Juan Carlos I of Spain, while the maiden flight is set for Summer 2008
Sales
On 9 December 2004, the South African Air Force announced it was to purchase eight A400Ms at the total cost of €837 million, and had options on 6 more, with South Africa therefore joining the Airbus Military team as an industrial partner. Deliveries are expected from 2010 to 2014.
On 18 July 2005, the Chilean Air Force signed a MOU for 3 aircraft to be delivered between 2018 and 2022, although the deal was later cancelled.
On 8 December 2005 the Royal Malaysian Air Force ordered four A400M, to replace its ageing fleet of C-130s.
Airbus Military made a bid in 2006 to supply Canada the A400M to meet a tender request for 17 new tactical airlifters to replace their old CC-130E models.. The Canadians ordered four Boeing C-17s and 17 C-130J Super Hercules and the A400M was not successful.
Design
The Airbus A400M will increase the airlift capacity and range compared to the aircraft it was originally set to replace, the older versions of the Hercules and Transall. Cargo capacity is expected to double over existing aircraft, both in payload and volume, and range is increased substantially as well.
The Airbus A400M will operate in many configurations including cargo transport, troop transport, MEDEVAC, aerial refuelling, and electronic surveillance.
The cockpit features a fly-by-wire flight control system with sidestick controllers and flight envelope protection. Like Airbus' other aircraft, the A400M will have a full glass cockpit (all information accessed through large colour screens) and as such will represent a technological leap compared to the older C-130s and C-160s that many countries now operate.
The A400M's wings are primarily carbon fibre reinforced plastic. The eight-bladed Scimitar propeller is made from a carbon spar and a composite shell.
High performance turboprop engines will allow operation in a civil air traffic control environment. Originally the SNECMA M138 turboprop (based on the M88 core) was selected to power the A400M. Airbus Military issued a new Request for Proposal in April 2002 which Pratt & Whitney Canada and Europrop answered. Airbus Military announced, after evaluating both designs, the selection of the Europrop TP400-D6 in May 2003.
Operators
Orders
| Date | Country | EIS | Orders |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2003 | Germany | 2010 | 60 |
| May 27, 2003 | France | 2009 | 50 |
| May 27, 2003 | Spain | 2011 | 27 |
| May 27, 2003 | UK | 2010 | 25 |
| May 27, 2003 | Turkey | 2009 | 10 |
| May 27, 2003 | Belgium | 2018 | 7 |
| May 27, 2003 | Luxembourg | 2017 | 1 |
| December 15, 2004 | South Africa | 2010 | 8 |
| December 8, 2005 | Malaysia | 2013 | 4 |
| Total: | 192 |
Specifications
See also
References
External links
- Airbus Military
- A400M Countdown
- A400M history, photo gallery and technical details (EADS-CASA website)
- OCCAR
- A400M program suppliers at Airframer.com
- Airforce-Technology.com page on A400M
- BBC video of unveiling of the A400M
- A collection of high resolution images, videos and articles (in spanish) about the Airbus A400M roll-out
- Official unveiling in Seville
- MachineDesign article on A400M
- CASR Backgrounder on A400M - Illustrated
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday July 25, 2008 at 04:39:07 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
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