• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

EADS Military Air Systems delivers first A400M components on schedule

* First shells for rear fuselage section of European transport aircraft
* Customer praises quality and punctuality

Augsburg/Bremen, 31 March 2006

With a perfect on time-delivery, EADS Military Air Systems (MAS) handed over the first rear fuselage section shells to Airbus Bremen on 31 March 2006 at Lechfeld/Augsburg. Once again, EADS Military Air Systems has proved that its reputation as a reliable partner in all important European aircraft programmes is well-founded.

Adolfo Revuelta, A400M Programme Manager at Airbus and customer representative, especially highlighted the efforts of all those involved: "The A400M programme is one of the most important European military projects and is under enormous time pressure. I am proud to receive the first components for the assembly in Bremen on the very day of the agreed delivery deadline." Dr. Peter Gutsmiedl, member of the MAS Board of Management and responsible for "Airborne Mission Systems", and Hans Lonsinger, Director of the Augsburg site, said: "Thanks to the achievement of the Augsburg team, the capabilities of Military Air Systems in guaranteeing quality, on-time delivery and technical competence have been demonstrated once again - from development to first metal cutting and through to assembly and quality assurance".

EADS Military Air Systems is – for the first time in an Airbus programme – the partner that bears the overall responsibility for the rear fuselage section and thus also coordinates the contributions of the French partner Sogerma and the Turkish partner TAI to this work-share package. In addition, as part of an Airbus subcontract, EADS Military Air Systems is fully accountable for the development and production of all piping systems in the centre and rear fuselage. These include the supply and extraction pipes for the environmental control system, pipes for the hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel supply systems and for the fuel redistribution system of the tanker version. This also comprises the systems for the oxygen supply and fire protection of the fuel tanks.

Also on the basis of an Airbus subcontract, EADS Military Air Systems assembles the centre fuselage section shells of the A400M at the Lemwerder and Augsburg plants.

In the field of avionics, too, EADS Military Air Systems is a core partner of Airbus for the development of important A400M tactical components. These include the "Terrain Masking Low Level Flight System" and the "Terrain Reference Navigation System", both of which to be used in the German Air Force for tactical low-level flight control. In addition, the mission planning system and the ground support equipment for the self-defence system are being developed in cooperation with EADS Defence Electronics.

EADS Military Air Systems thus develops and produces about 40 per cent of the German workshare in A400M. The competence acquired here, which is complemented by the new activities currently commencing in the areas of training, material supply, technical documentation and logistic systems, will be focussed in a logistic centre in Manching, that will provide the industrial support for the German fleet from 2010 onwards.

Military Air Systems (MAS), the centre of competence for all manned and unmanned combat aerial vehicles within EADS, is an integrated part of the EADS Defence & Security Systems Division (DS).

With revenues of about € 5.6 billion in 2005 and roughly 23,000 employees across ten nations, DS forms the defence and security pillar within EADS. As a Large Systems Integrator, it offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and global security. It is active in the areas of manned and unmanned integrated combat and mission air systems, including related training services, and in missile systems, battlefield management systems for all branches, global security solutions, secure networks, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, as well as related services.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000.

Contact:
Wolfram Wolff
EADS Military Air Systems
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 607 25711
mailto: wolfram.wolff@eads.com

Dr. Frank Liemandt
EADS Military Air Systems
Augsburg Plant
Tel.: +49 (0) 821 801 62322
mailto: frank.liemandt@eads.com