The European aircraft
manufacturer Airbus said on Thursday that it was on track to deliver its
badly-needed new A400M transport plane to the French air force in the
second quarter of this year, after its latest problems with engines was
resolved.
"We have overcome this engine problem, which had
delayed certification" of a cutting-edge plane that could mark a big
step forward in logistics capacity for the eight countries which have
bought it, Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier told a press
conference in Toulouse, southern France.
He hailed efforts by the
companies that have collaborated on the plane's innovative eight-bladed
propeller engines, including Rolls-Royce, Safran of France, the German
company MTU and ITP of Spain, which together formed a joint venture
named Euro Prop International (EPI).
Test flights that had been
suspended for several months were "resumed in November and we totalled
300 test hours in 26 days," Bregier noted.
"The first delivery to
France was pushed back slightly from the first quarter to the second
quarter of 2013," he said, adding that Airbus would not have to pay any
penalties for the delay.
France in particular needs to get the
A400M into service as its limited airlift capacity was demonstrated
again by the conflict in Mali, where Belgium, Britain, Denmark and
Germany have extended help delivering material and troops from France
and contributing African countries.
"We have again today the
confirmation that transport aircraft are decisive assets in all sorts of
conflicts, security operations or rescues: France does not have this
capacity and we have demonstrated the A400M's potential," Bregier said.
The
four-engine aircraft was designed to replace C-130 Hercules and C-160
Transall cargo planes, and can perform three major roles, according to
Airbus, including tactical missions that require the ability to land at
"austere airfields" such as soft or rough strips as short as 750 metres
(2,500 feet) with a payload of up to 25 tonnes (55,000 pounds).
That makes the plane suited for direct deployment on humanitarian aid missions to disaster-hit regions.
In
a strategic role, the plane can fly up to 8,700 kilometres (5,400
miles) with a payload of up to 37 tonnes (81,600 pounds), including
dissasembled helicopters or two heavy armoured vehicles, and reach
altitudes of up to 40,000 feet (12,000 metres).
Finally, the
A400M can be adapted in two hours for use as an air refuelling tanker
able to serve two planes or helicopters at a time.
In an airdrop
capacity, the transport plane can operate from as high as 40,000 feet
for special operations purposes to as low as 15 feet for low-level load
deliveries, Airbus said, and "can carry more paratroopers than any other
Western-built military aircraft," with 116 fully equipped soldiers.
A
total of 174 of the planes have been ordered to date, with four
currently in the final assembly stage, and scheduled for delivery this
year.
Source: http://news.malaysia.msn.com
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