Bundeswehr
The Airbus A400M cracks to do
Already now the Ministry of defence estimates that the delays in the A400M, to almost nine years. And new problems added. Now it comes to cracks in the hull.
The Ministry of defence informed the budget Committee of the Bundestag, that the manufacturer Airbus wants to replace the transport aircraft A400M, several of the components that could be affected by “cracking due to hydrogen embrittlement”. “This exchange operation – viewed in isolation – could take, according to the company up to seven months,” reads the Letter, which is present the German press Agency.
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“Medium-Term Capability Gap”
The Ministry also confirmed for the first time, in writing, that it is due to the possibility of further delays after a transitional solution as a substitute for the A400M. The problems showed – so the wording in the Letter – “that the Ministry of defence have embarked on with his Reflections on the Bridging of a may in the medium term, occurring capability gap the right way”.
The Green-armor expert Tobias Lindner said: “in the Meantime, the news for the A400M to develop a soap Opera with daily bad news.” The cracking was already two weeks ago known. How Airbus will deal with it, was so far unclear.
“Unknown Material Behavior”
A company spokesman tried All something to downplay. He said the Problem was “one aluminum alloy, which determines a previously unknown material behavior”. The theme is affected but neither the flight safety and the operational capability of the A400M fleet. An immediate exchange is not necessary. A solution will be implemented “in the framework of the next maintenance intervals”.
The German army had received its first A400M in December with a year-long delay. In his current armor, the April report, the Ministry estimates that the delays up to the year 2019 to exactly 107 months, so almost nine years. The increase in cost is after that, so far, of 1.47 billion euros, or 18 percent of the originally agreed purchase price.
The A400M is full of technology, but there is always problems with components
So far, Airbus has handed over three specimens to the armed forces. You must be currently serviced after 20 hours of flight time and missions are for international only suitable to a limited extent. In total, Germany has ordered 53 of the transport plane. The new Turboprop aircraft to replace the 47-year-old “Transall”Transporter (C-160).
Three Alternatives are in the room
The problems should be put in the A400M, however, continue to, could it be that the old Transall machines, despite the almost 50 years that you have now on the hump, other operations are imminent. As a possible Alternative to the A400M, C-130 “Hercules” by Lockheed, as well as the C-17 “Globemaster” of Boeing will also apply.
haz/boron (dpa, rtr)