EADS reaffirms its full commitment to deliver on the European A400M Military Transport Aircraft programme and welcomes the public support given by the French Senators today towards making this exceptional aircraft a success – an aircraft that represents a “brickstone of sovereignty” for the European Defence, as the Senators outlined.

Concerning overcosts, in contrary to statements made in media reports, EADS confirms that no indication can be given today beyond the provision of 1.7bn euros already taken, as long as a binding industrial plan, which includes the availability of systems, is not established and not before OCCAR’s position on EADS proposals is known. This is in line with what the audit commission of the French Senate on the A400M has expressed.

EADS made a proposal to OCCAR at the end of 2008 to enter discussions to redefine certain technical and contractual specifications of the programme. According to the announcement of January 9, EADS confirms that the delay between the first flight and the first delivery of the A400M Future European Military Transport Aircraft will be three years. The Group is working with the engine consortium to define the date for this first flight. The group is simultaneously studying possibilities to facilitate the production ramp-up. EADS is more than ever determined to deliver on this programme which is one of the most ambitious European Defence Programmes designed to produce an aircraft of exceptional performance. The state-of-the-art technologies will make the A400M an aircraft of the future, designed to be operational for many decades. This aircraft features second-to-none capabilities compared to any currently existing strategic and tactical military transport aircraft.

At the same time, EADS is reorganising the structure of the programme. Following EADS CEO Louis Gallois’ proposal, the EADS Board of Directors had decided in December 2008 to integrate the A400M programme under the sole lead of Airbus thus simplifying and clarifying its lines of responsibility. The French parliamentary report presented today does not question the actual status of the A400M as previously communicated by EADS.

Source: EADS