|
Airlifter Comparisons — Airbus Military A400M |
| Publication |
CASR |
| Date | 2009-11-24 |
| Web Link | http://www.casr.ca/bg-airlift-a400m.htm |
Airbus Military A400M prototype at Seville
EADS photo
EADS/Airbus A400M – European Airlifter Rolled-Out at Last but Too Late
for Canada
Airbus Military’s A400M (formerly the EuroFLAG Future Large Aircraft )
originated as a replacement for the aging fleets of NATO Transalls and Hercules.
The A400M is seen as Europe’s answer to both the US C-17 and C-130J.
Estimated unit cost was originally US$90M. The
unit cost has since climbed to over US$156M (€100 million).
That is still cheaper than the large C-17 but considerably more than
C-130J.
Airbus Military’s problem was that both US aircraft are in production and
service. By contrast, the A400M project would not see first metal cut until
2005.
With acknowledgements to