Airbus and partner countries reach agreement to keep A400M program alive

Threatened to end earlier than planned, the A400M program has been given a lifespan of at least four years. Airbus, manufacturer of the transport turboprop, and OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation), reached an agreement to maintain production until 2029.

According to them, the A400M will have an annual production of eight aircraft in the coming years, either for countries in the organisation (Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom) or for export.

To guarantee activities at the Seville facilities, France and Spain have committed to receiving four and three A400Ms in the first year.

In addition, Airbus was given the go-ahead to develop improvements to the project, such as increasing the payload from 37 to 40 tons, in addition to seeking optimization in relation to maintenance.

Airbus also intends to implement new capabilities for the four-engine aircraft as a carrier of remote aircraft and for firefighting missions, among others.

The partners in the program, however, hope to count on more export contracts to make production viable, which by April had reached 131 aircraft out of 178 firm orders.

Of these, only eight A400Ms were ordered by countries outside the OCCAR. Malaysia acquired four aircraft, while Indonesia and Kazakhstan ordered two each.

Potential customers in view include Saudi Arabia, which may acquire up to 20 aircraft, and the United Arab Emirates, whose air force intends to replace old C-130s with eight to ten new aircraft.

Airbus even stated at the beginning of the year that it may hire UAE companies to produce parts for the A400M in addition to carrying out Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for the turboprop.

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