Germany’s air force will get an Airbus A400M military transporter with a self-protection system for the first time towards the end of the year, a spokeswoman for the Defence Ministry said, almost a year behind schedule.

The delivery of the tactical A400M, which had originally been planned for January 2016, will now take place at the end of November or the beginning of December, the spokeswoman said.

Germany has already taken delivery of five A400M transporters but they did not have a self-protection system, the spokeswoman said.

The self-protection system on the new A400M includes a projectile warning system, a radar warning receiver and can launch decoys, she added.

Germany is the largest customer for the A400M, initially developed for seven European NATO nations at a cost of 20 billion euros but mired in delays and cost overruns.

SOURCE REUTERS/YAHOO