The A400M (formerly known as the future large aircraft) is a military transporter designed to meet the requirements of the air forces of Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey and the UK.
"The A400M military transporter is designed to meet the requirements of the air forces of Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey and the UK."
A European staff target was drawn up in 1993, together with a memorandum of understanding signed by the governments of the seven nations. Italy subsequently withdrew from the programme.
Airbus Military SL of Madrid, a subsidiary of Airbus Industrie, is responsible for management of the A400M programme.
Other companies with a share in the programme are: BAE Systems (UK), EADS (Germany, France and Spain), Flabel (Belgium) and Tusas Aerospace Industries (Turkey). Final assembly took place in Seville, Spain.
A400M future large aircraft programme
In May 2003, a development and production contact was signed between Airbus and OCCAR, the European procurements agency, for 212 aircraft. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Turkey, Belgium, and Luxembourg initally signed but Italy subsequently withdrew and the order was reduced to 180 aircraft with deliveries to start in 2009 and continue until 2020.
First metal cut for the airframe of A400M was in January 2005 and assembly began in 2007. The first flight was scheduled for early 2008, however development problems with the engines caused this to be postponed. The first aircraft was officially rolled out in June 2008 and the long-awaited A400M took its maiden flight on 11 December 2009.
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In January 2009, EADS postponed the first deliveries of the A400M until 2012 and proposed to develop a new approach for the A400M to discover new ways to advance the programme.
2009 continued to be a troubled year for the A400M as estimates on the cost overrun of the project were released with predictions of up to €11.2bn over budget. The South African Air Force started to look at alternatives to the A400M and the European partners placed it under consideration. Airbus suggested that the programme may be scrapped unless €5.3bn could be provided.
In November 2010 Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey agreed to lend Aribus €1.5bn and proceed with the programme, however Germany and the UK reduced the number of aircraft ordered to 53 and 22 respectively, taking the total down to 170.
First deliveries will be to the French Air Force and will take place in the second quarter of 2013. Deliveries are expected to conclude in 2025.
A400M test flights
This first A400M is known as MSN1. The second A400M, MSN2, completed its maiden flight on 8 April 2010, while MSN3 completed itsmaiden flight on 9 July 2010. The fourth A400M MSN4 completed its maiden flight in December 2010. The first production aircraft of A400M (MSN7) completed its maiden flight on 6 March 2013.
"The first production aircraft of A400M (MSN7) completed its maiden flight on 6 March 2013."
The development of the A400M fleet was designated as Grizzly in July 2010. Trials with MSN1, MSN3 and MSN5 are performed in Toulouse, while those with MSN2 and MSN4 are done in Seville, providing greater flexibility and taking advantage of the best weather conditions available.
The A400M was displayed at two events in 2010: the Berlin Air Show in Germany and at Farnborough International Airshow in the UK.
In October 2011, A400M was tested on wet runways and taxiways. The water ingestion test was completed successfully. The latest cold weather tests were concluded in February 2013.
A400M orders
Total firm orders for the A400M stand at 174 aircraft. Malaysia ordered four and 170 aircraft were ordered by seven countries, including the UK (22), Belgium (7), Turkey(10), France (50), Germany (53), Luxembourg (1) and Spain (27).
In April 2005, South Africa signed a contract with Airbus Military to be a full participant in the A400M programme. South Africa ordered eight aircraft, for delivery between 2010 and 2014. South Africa then cancelled the order in November 2009. In December 2005, Malaysia signed a contract for the purchase of four A400M.
A400M design
The A400M has a much larger payload than the C-160 Transall and C-130 and the design makes extensive use of composite materials. The capability for short soft field landing and take-off is part of the requirement and the aircraft has six-wheel high-flotation main landing gear.
"Total firm orders for the A400M stand at 174 aircraft."
The need for airdrops and tactical flight requires good low-airspeed flight and the aircraft also has long-range and high-cruise speed for rapid and flexible deployment.
Final assembly of the composite (carbon-reinforced plastic - CRP) wingbox is taking place at Airbus UK in Filton. GKN Aerospace of the UK has supplied the complex carbon composite wing spars. Denel Aviation of South Africa is the supplier of the fuselage top shells and wing-fuselage fairings. EADS, Augsburg, is supplying the 7m×4m composite cargo door.
Fuselage assembly is at Airbus Deutschland in Bremen. Final assembly of the A400M aircraft takes place at EADS CASA in Seville.
Cockpit of the military transporter
The cockpit is fully night-vision compatible and provides accommodation for two pilots and an additional crew member for special mission equipment operations. It is fitted with a fly-by-wire flight control system developed for the Airbus range of civil airliners.
Two sidestick controllers are installed to allow the pilot an unrestricted view of the electronic flight displays. The throttle controls are placed centrally between the two pilot stations.
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Thales and Diehl Avionik Systeme are developing the A400M's FMS400 flight management system, based on integrated modular avionics modules, an adaptation of systems being fitted on the Airbus A380 airliner.
The avionics will include cockpit control and display systems with nine 6in × 6in displays and a digital head-up display which features liquid crystal display (LCD) technology and enhanced vision systems (EVS), for enhanced situational awareness, automated CG calculation, automated defensive aids systems, simple EMCOM switching, simplified switching, uncluttered screens, automated tanker and receiver fuel control and auto fuel tank inerting.
The A400M for Germany will be fitted with a terrain-masking low-level flight (TMLLF) system, from EADS Military Aircraft, for low-level flight control. The TMLLF system has a Saab Avitronics flight computer. EADS Defence & Security Systems digital map generator is also being fitted.
There is a military mission management system (MMMS), from EADS Defence Electronics, which includes two mission computers. The MMMS controls cargo handling and delivery, calculating the load plan and the computed air release point before an air drop, as well as fuel management and fuel operational ranges. The MMMS also manages the tactical ground collision avoidance system (T-CGAS) and military / civil communications.
Rockwell Collins was selected to supply the HF-9500 high-frequency communications system and the avionics full duplex ethernet (ADFX). Cobham Antennas Division provides the SATCOM antennas.
Countermeasure technology
The EADS Defence Electronics defensive aids suite will include an ALR-400 radar warner from Indra and EADS, MIRAS (multicolour infraRed alerting sensor) missile launch and approach warner developed by EADS and Thales, and chaff and flare decoy dispensers. A laser DIRCM (directed infrared countermeasure) system may be added later.
The aircraft can also accommodate armour plating crew protection, bulletproof windscreens, engine exhaust treatment for infrared emission reduction and inert gas explosion retardation and fire retardation in the fuel systems. The wings have hardpoints for the installation of electronic warfare pods and refuelling pods.
A400M transporter cargo systems
Rheinmetall Defence Electronics is supplying the loadmaster control system for electronic cargo control. Loadmaster consists of a workstation and control panel, eight sidewall lock panels and a crew door panel. It provides efficient ground loading and airborne cargo drops.
The payload requirements include a range of military helicopters and vehicles, heavy engineering equipment, pallets and cargo containers.
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The cargo bay can transport up to nine standard military pallets (2.23m × 2.74m), including two on the ramp, along with 58 troops seated along the sides or up to 120 fully equipped troops seated in four rows. For Medevac, it can carry up to 66 stretchers and 25 medical personnel.
The A400M can carry 116 paratroops and can air-drop them and their equipment either by parachute or gravity extraction. It can air-drop: single load up to 16t, multiple loads up to 25t total, 120 paratroops plus a wedge load of 6t, or up to 20 1t containers or pallets.
It can also perform simultaneous drops of paratroops and cargo (RAS / wedge or door loads) and very-low-level extraction (VLLE) of a single load up to 6.35t, or multiple loads up to 19t total weight. Gravity extraction can be performed for a single load up to 4t, or multiple loads up to 20t total weight.
The cargo compartment can be configured for cargo, vehicle or troop transport or air drop, a combination of these and for aero-medical evacuation. A single loadmaster is able to reconfigure the cargo compartment for different roles either in flight or on the ground. A powered crane installed in the ceiling area of the rear section of the fuselage has a five-ton capacity for loading from the ground and for cross-loading.
The rear-opening door has full compartment cross-section to allow axial load movement, roll-on and roll-off loading and for the air drop of large loads.
A400M tactical tanker and refuelling
The A400M is convertible to a tactical tanker, with the ability to refuel a range of aircraft and helicopters within two hours. Flight Refuelling Ltd is supplying the 908E wing pod drogue system, which provides a fuel flow of up to 1,200kg/min for each pod, plus the centreline pallet-mounted hose drum unit fitted in the rear cargo bay, which provides a fuel flow of 1,800kg/min.
In addition, up to two cargo bay fuel tanks (CBT), which connect directly to the A400M's fuel management system, can be fitted. Total fuel capacity is 46.7t or 58t with the CBTs.
In October 2011, GKN Aerospace won the contract worth £6m ($9.54) from Cobham Mission Equipment. It includes supplying air refuelling pylon for A400M. It will also supply a wing spar for the A400M.
Navigation
The aircraft's independent navigation system comprises an inertial reference system (IRS) integrated with a global positioning system (GPS). The weather and navigation radar is to be the Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241E, which incorporates windshear measurement and ground mapping capability.
The radio navigation suite includes a pair of instrument landing systems, VHF Omnidirectional Radio ranging (VOR), radio distance measuring equipment (DME), air traffic control (ATC) transponders, automatic direction finders (ADF) and a tactical air navigation unit (TACAN).
Engines onboard the A400M
In May 2003, Airbus Military selected the three-shaft TP400-D6 turboprop engine, to be manufactured by EuroProp International (EPI). EPI is a consortium formed by Rolls-Royce (UK, Germany), ITP (Spain), MTU (Germany) and Snecma (France). Rolls-Royce is responsible for overall integration.
"The aircraft weighs around 76,500kg and the maximum take-off weight is 141,000kg."
The four engines each have a maximum output of more than 11,000shp. EPI states they are the largest turboprops ever made in the West. The engines are fitted with FADEC (full authority digital engine control), supplied by BAE Systems and Hispano-Suiza.
Ratier-Figeac SA of France (a business unit of Hamilton Standard of USA) supplies the eight-bladed composite variable pitch FH386 propellers. The propellers are 5.33m (17.5ft) in diameter and are fully reversing with the capability to back the fully loaded aircraft up a 2% slope. FiatAvio supplies the propeller gearbox.
Electrical power generation systems are being supplied by Aerolec, a joint venture between Thales and Goodrich. The variable frequency generators will provide up to 400kVa.
Landing gear
Messier-Dowty was chosen as the supplier of both main and nose landing gear. Each main landing gear consists of three independent twin-wheel assemblies, providing six wheels on each side. This allows the plane to land on unprepared runways. The landing gear system also enables the A400M to 'kneel' which lowers the rear ramp to facilitate the loading of large vehicles.
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The main landing gear shock absorbers maintain a minimum distance from the ground whatever the load. Messier-Bugatti will supply wheels and brakes. The aircraft has two nose wheels and 12 braked wheels.
EuroProp International (EPI) has developed TP400 power plant for the A400M. The power plant has been installed on the inner engine mount of the C-130K flight test-bed.
The A400M's normal operating speed is 555km/h, but it can reach a maximum speed of 780km/h. The normal and ferry ranges of the aircraft are 3,298km and 8,710km respectively. The service ceiling is 11,300m.
The take-off and landing distances of the aircraft are 980m and 770m respectively. The aircraft weighs around 76,500kg and the maximum take-off weight is 141,000kg.
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