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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2247.PDF
A400M: development & evolution A400M PROGRAMME ORGANISATION Airbus Shareholders EADS Flabel TAI X Shareholder agreements ^ ___.„ I Launch I OCCAR f- contract \~ J Airbus Military ^- n Industrial agreements J r* Third parties Engine manufacturer Propeller manufacturer > FLIGHT Airbus Partners EADS Flabel TAI Airbus Development management contract "We have had to move quickly because we have to fulfil our commitments to our customers" ADOLFO REVUELTA, AIRBUS MILITARY political transatlantic rift that developed over the latter conflict further reinforced this trend. The A400M provides what many see within Europe as the perfect home grown remedy to the airlift/force projection conundrum and, with it, the distinct chance of gaining valuable penetration into the US-dominated military export market. Ironically, it was a desire for closer transatlantic collaboration that launched studies into the distant predecessor of the A400M, the Future International Military Airlifter (FIMA). This was a study group set up in December 1982 by Aerospatiale, British Aerospace, Lockheed and MBB to look at a late-1990s replacement for the Lockheed C-130 and Transall C160. The new airlifter would carry more, go further and cost less than either existing aircraft and would have a cargo hold at least 4m (13ft) wide and a rear loading ramp. Market requirement The total market requirement was estab lished at 700-1,000 for the four member nations, which planned separate produc tion lines in the USA and Europe. Full-scale development was provisionally set to begin in 1993, with first deliveries in 1999. Early artists' impressions show a preference for a high-wing, four-engined, T-tail design. In June 1985 FIMA received a boost when defence ministers of the 13-nation Independent European Project Group (IEPG) met in London and agreed to extend the study of a "Future Transport Aircraft" to include several roles such as air-to-air refu elling. The IEPG provided a solid platform on which FIMA could prosper, but proved a double-edged sword. Ultimately, it embroiled FIMA in a tan gled web of diverse European political and military requirements, leading to inevitable delay. Secondly, it progressively alienated Lockheed, which announced its departure from the FIMA group in 1989, citing "uncertainty over the timescale of the US Department of Defense require ments" but, at the same time, leaving it to refocus on an extensively modernised Hercules, the C-130J Hercules II. From this point, the project entered a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Within months of Lockheed's departure, the UK government bailed out of the paral lel IEPG study, but retained "observer" sta tus. FIMA was, meanwhile, bolstered by the addition of Alenia and CASA, and regrouped under the title Euroflag, or European Future Large Aircraft Group. BAe remained a Euroflag member, despite its government's departure on the grounds of funding difficulties and the preference of the Royal Air Force for an "off-the-shelf" solution to its perceived future tactical transport needs. In addition, under its Options for Change defence review, it decided that no C-130 replacement would be sought before 2005, which at the time effectively ruled out the UK as a potential launch customer. In mid-1991 the European Outline Staff Target for a future large aircraft (FLA) was agreed by the participating nations, which had by now swelled to six with the inclu sion of Belgium and Turkey. The staff target set a series of baseline requirements that cleared the way for a pre-feasibility study by the Euroflag companies. In the end it took longer than expected for all to agree, a European Staff Target emerging in 1993 and a finalised European Staff Requirement (ESR) ultimately appearing in 1996. A foundation agreement between the companies was meanwhile signed at the 1991 Paris air show, covering the setting up of a limited liability company based in Rome. Initial operating capability was expected in a^raiiari»w:«r,ir,i^iiWj;it.-fJi<wt'nciit«r^:i;i,'.i^;winriiiHi: Germany I France Defence ministries UK Spain Turkey Belgium/Lux i A A i. 4 Government OCCAR* Industry AirbusMilitary f Airbus SAS*' EADS Casa T TAI Flabel Partner companies J J * Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en Matiere D'armement (OCCAR) " Airbus SAS represents Airbus Deutschland, Airbus UK, Airbus Espana and Airbus France FLIGHT 34 9-15 NOVEMBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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