A400M: di it & evolution

"In terms o
schedule and
reliability, this is
one of the most
ambitious
military
procurements"
ADOLFO REVUELTA

to rejoining also mounted from the French

and German governments, which sought
to firm up the funding stream. It was these
same worries over rising costs that trig-
gered the abandonment of the turbofan-
powered option (see propulsion section),
although the decision was not finalised
until the following year.

UK pressure
BAe also renewed its pressure on the UK AIRBUS A400M PRODUCTION WORKSHARE BY COMPANY AND COUNTRY
government to return to FLA on the France Germany
grounds that without full participation the Centre wing box Wing panels
UK manufacturer's position as wing maker Nose fuselage Centre fuselage
for Airbus could be threatened. In the Nose landing gear bay Airbus Germany Fuselage furnishing
Engine mounts Pre-final asembly
event, early 1995 saw a "fly-off" between Sponsons Vertical tail box and assembly
rival wing designs produced by BAe and Rudder Flaps (Airbus UK and Flabel)
DASA, with UK participation largely con- Wing to fuselage fairing 30% Rear fuselage - assembly
-Cockpit furnishing _50% Rear fuselage - components
tingent on a win for the British company. EADS France [ZRamp EADS Germany CCargo door
DASA was in favour of an advanced com-
posite wing, while BAe argued for a con-
ventional design, saying the move was not Z3 A i r b u s UK
necessary in terms of either capability or
Outer wing box
cost. Ultimately a joint design was chosen Flaps
- a "composite hybrid wing".
In an unusual move, it was also decided
around this time that industry and not
governments would decide the workshare
arrangements for the FLA and by mid-1995
these were set out, with Airbus Industrie
taking a 30% share in the new Airbus
Military Company. The 70% balance was
to be divided between the five sharehold-
ers, with Alenia taking 20%, CASA 18%,
BAe 15% and Aerospatiale and DASA
around 9.5% each. Charles Champion,
who would later lead the A380 effort, was
named as temporary head.
Lockheed Martin, as it had by now
become, meanwhile paid an unexpected
visit at the end of 1995 when a team
arrived to discuss possible collaboration on Spain EADS Casa Belgium Flabel Z] Turkey TAI
a turbofan-powered FLA as a C-141
Final assembly line Wing leading edge Forward fuselage
replacement. The team later went home to Horizontal tailplane Flaps (Airbus Germany and UK) Tailcone and top shell on rear fuselage
the US empty handed, Airbus having sus- Engine nacelle Flap track and mechanism Paratroop doors and hatch door
Flap track fairings Main landing gear doors Ailerons and spoilers
pected Lockheed Martin of playing the Vertical tailplane leading
stalking horse game, and of merely and trailing edges
attempting to add further delays to the Elevators

3 6 9-15 NOVEMBER 2 0 0 4 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com