RMAF Acquired 4 Airbus A400M Atlas

[xtemujin 0]

UPDATE 2-Spain aims to resell half A400M fleet to ease budget
By Tim Hepher and Tracy Rucinski | 2 August 2013 Friday | 1:28pm EDT

 

PARIS/MADRID, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Spain has moved to halve its planned fleet of Airbus A400M military transport planes by offering the rest for export, casting a fresh shadow over Europe's largest defence project as the long-awaited plane goes into service.

The move is the latest sign of pressure on crisis-hit European nations that bought the delayed troop carrier, which itself had to be rescued in 2010 because of a cost blowout blamed on technical, management and political errors.

 

After a four-year delivery delay, the first A400M flew to its new operating base in Orleans, south of Paris, on Friday.

 

The aircraft was designed to meet a looming shortfall in military transport capacity among seven European NATO nations: Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey.

 

But the 20 billion euro ($26 billion) project went more than 5 billion over budget, forcing buyers to agree a price hike and a cash injection to be repaid from future export royalties.

 

After reviewing its needs, Spain has reduced its requirement to 14 aircraft instead of 27, a defence official told Reuters.

 

It has told Airbus Military that the 13 remaining A400M aircraft it has ordered would be available for export. European buyers have ordered a total of 170 A400Ms, reduced from 180.

 

Although the 2010 rescue package prevents buyers from cancelling further orders outright, the largest customer, Germany, is expected to release 13 of its 53 aircraft for export as a condition of parliamentary approval for the purchase.

 

Others including France are studying whether they can do the same, defence sources said. But doing so raises thorny issues over export royalties and would require all partners to agree.

FRANCE UNDECIDED

 

Airbus Military is seen as keen to avoid a premature stampede towards export markets as it seeks to keep factories running to support exports after securing domestic production.

 

So far Malaysia is the only foreign buyer with 4 on order.

 

After writing off a total of 4.2 billion euros for its share of losses on the domestic part of the programme, Airbus aims to kickstart a fresh export campaign now that the A400M is in use.

 

"Export of the A400M is key for the profitability of the programme," spokeswoman Maggie Bergsma said.

 

"We estimate a market of around 400 aircraft over the next 30 years on top of the current 174 orders."

 

The prospect of some nations jumping in front of others to export will fuel a debate about when the first royalties would be paid and whether the market would be damaged for others.

 

But experts say it is unlikely to cause a repeat of the politically explosive discussions of several years ago.

"The economic situation is such that this is the best face-saving opportunity for the nations concerned and I think the programme is now so far down the line that I don't see how it can unravel," said UK-based consultant Alexandra Ashbourne-Walmsley.

 

"It is just another bump in the road and will take effort to smooth out, but the history of European programmes suggests ... it is the most elegant solution for short-term difficulties."

 

The Spanish official said no changes would be made until "there's an agreement with all of the partners".

 

Spain's economy has teetered in and out of recession since 2008, and while financing conditions have improved since it moved away from the brink of a full European bailout, it remains under pressure to cut public spending and a big budget deficit.

France unveiled a six-year defence spending plan on Friday that includes 15 A400M aircraft between 2014 and 2019 but failed to remove uncertainty over the remaining 35 it has on order.

Defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France would still need 50 military transporters of all types in 2025, but left the door open to keeping some older planes longer than expected.

 

"I haven't yet decided what will happen after 2019. The number of A400M aircraft within the total requirement has not yet been fixed," he told a news conference.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/02/airbus-a400m-idUSL6N0G32Z020130802

Edited August 3, 2013 by xtemujin

[xtemujin 0]

RMAF A400M MSN22 cockpit.

 

http://twitter.com/RAeSTimR/status/476224731465928705

[flee 5]

TP400 powers A400M operating success

Malaysia to get its first A400M early next year

 

The Airbus A400M’s first year of operational service has been marked by solid reliability from its TP400-D6 engines, says Europrop International (EPI) president Ian Crawford.

“Things are going as we would have wanted, and as we planned for,” Crawford says of the activities to date with the French and Turkish air forces’ combined three delivered examples. “The engine in service is demonstrating the capabilities that the customers wanted, and we have had very positive feedback.”

Combined, the two French and one Turkish Atlas have amassed around 2,000 flight hours. “We have had no significant engine issues, no engine removals or major module removals,” Crawford says; just “the usual line maintenance snags you would expect.”

EPI has ramped up its production of the TP400 turboprop to match Airbus’s increased final assembly rate for the tactical airlifter. Some 11 “Atlas” transports are due to be handed over before year-end, with three of these now in the delivery process for France and the first examples to be handed over to the UK and Germany.

Crawford describes the production ramp up as “quite an exciting time”, with lead export user Malaysia to get its first A400M early next year.

“We have delivered to Airbus all engines required to deliver all aircraft due this year,” says Crawford, up to production aircraft MSN20. EPI is already testing the TP400s for aircraft MSN22, he adds, and in December will ship its 100th production engine to the airframer.

“The [engine] production system is certainly demonstrating its robustness,” he says. “I have no concerns on the production side.”

Crawford says EPI is also anticipating further orders for the A400M. “Export is something we’re very keen to pursue. The aircraft is getting attention – you just need to look at it flying at a show like this to see why. We are seeing growing interest, and by the time it is in use with the UK, Germany and Malaysia there will be much more visibility to other potential customers.”

Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-tp400-powers-a400m-operating-success-401511/

[Fitri Shukri 0]

_{I recalled a Malaysian defence blog quoted the RMAF chief said earlier this year that RMAF will get the first A400M in 2015 with the last of the four A400M to be delivered in 2017}

After this RMAF charlie pilot will feel like commercial pilot...all digital....

 

Easier for future RMAF A400M pilots to transfer to commercial Airbus pilots once they quit RMAF

[Fitri Shukri 0]

http://malaysiaflyingherald.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/rmaf-prepares-for-the-a-400m-atlas-delivery-next-year/

[flee 5]

Germany receives its first A400M

 

See: http://militaryaircraft-airbusds.com/PressCenter/LatestNews/TabId/176/ArtMID/681/ArticleID/355/Germany-takes-delivery-of-its-first-Airbus-A400M.aspx

[Geoff R. 0]

Picture of first TUDM A400M painted up.

 

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/base/util/68517_1155.jpg

 

Geoff

[Ted 0]

Edited February 3, 2015 by puddited

[xtemujin 0]

Published on 3 February 2015 Tuesday

The first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter for the Royal Malaysian Air Force has now been painted in its new colours at the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville, Spain.

 

Edited February 5, 2015 by xtemujin

[xtemujin 0]

Published on 3 February 2015 Tuesday

 

The first Airbus Defence and Space A400M new generation airlifter for the Royal Malaysian Air Force has taken another step towards delivery with engine tests and taxying trials.

 

Edited February 5, 2015 by xtemujin

[S V Choong 4]

The A400M looks pretty good. The props are rotating in opposite direction too.

[David.W 0]

when will it come to its new owner?

During LIMA?

[xtemujin 0]

Airbus will bring in one A400M for the 2015 LIMA, whether it is Airbus or RMAF is still a question.

Airbus will bring in one A400M for the 2015 LIMA, whether it is Airbus or RMAF is still a question.

[xtemujin 0]

Mei Kuan ‏@MeiKKuan 26m26 minutes ago

Congrats to #TUDM @airforcenextgen on the delivery of their first #A400M @AirbusDS @HishammuddinH2O @1MinDef

Hishammuddin Hussein ‏@HishammuddinH2O 2h2 hours ago

Taking delivery of our 1st A400M in Saville Spain. Harap selamat & sempat untukHarap selamat & sempat untuk @LIMAExhibitions.

Edited March 10, 2015 by xtemujin

[flee 5]

Congratulations to RMAF - this is the fastest delivery from first flight to handover.

 

Spotters should be looking out for this aircraft. It should arrive Thursday or Friday but where?

 

SZB or LGK?

[S V Choong 4]

Does anyone know what the rod in front of the cockpit is for? Is that a refueling 'thing' or some sort of antenna?

 

Are the engines similar to the ones found on ATR72?

 

Congratulations for taking delivery of the long awaited aircraft.

Edited March 10, 2015 by S V Choong

[flee 5]

Does anyone know what the rod in front of the cockpit is for? Is that a refueling 'thing' or some sort of antenna?

 

Are the engines similar to the ones found on ATR72?

That is the refuelling proble.

 

No the engines are different - they are the most powerful turbo props you can find - see: http://www.europrop-int.com/pages/tp400/tp400_d6.htm

 

RMAF's first A400M carries its military reggo, M54-01.

[flee 5]

Malaysia takes delivery of its first Airbus A400M

 

http://www.airforce.gov.my/my-berita-induk/my-berita-utama/malaysia-takes-delivery-of-its-first-airbus-a400m/

[flee 5]

Skyliner reports the first leg of the delivery flight:

 

delivery 12mar15 SVQ-AUH

[xtemujin 0]

RMAF first A400M touching down at subang airbase

 

 

Credit to [Panggilan Pertiwi]

 

73420143[/snapback]

[S V Choong 4]

Is TUDM planning to replace their C-130 Hercules with these new A400M?

 

Pretty nice looking bird actually.

[Eddy Liew 0]

yesterday's news - no.

 

source:

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/16/A400M-joins-RMAFs-fleet/

[flee 5]

Is TUDM planning to replace their C-130 Hercules with these new A400M?

 

Pretty nice looking bird actually.

Not really - they have only ordered 4.

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Not really - they have only ordered 4.

 

Yes; probably to suppliment the C-130 fleet. (Do correct me if i'm wrong here)

[Fahiruz 0]

no way the 4 A400M can replace the 15 Herc workhorse..

 

the hercs are very versatile transport ac..it can be used as tactical airlift, vip transport, seach & rescue, maritime patrol, combat etc

 

Instead, would love to see some of the charlies being turned into specialized Air Combat Command, AWACS, EW & ASM functions..