Airbus A400M military transport reportedly too heavy and weak

The Airbus A400 military transport plane is too heavy and does not deliver on performance, the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper reported on Monday.

• Arctic cold wreaks quirky havoc across Germany (8 Feb 12)
• Man rescued from canoe on frozen river (6 Feb 12)
• Snow to follow record deep freeze (6 Feb 12)

The FTD cited sources which said the current version of the A400M can carry only 29-30 tonnes of material, instead of an expected 32 tonnes, and that it is itself 12 tonnes overweight.

The European Aeronautic Defence Space Company, Airbus' parent company, will have to completely revise its plans, the newspaper said. EADS acknowledged recently that the first delivery of an A400M would be delayed by three years, but did not give a precise date.

A total of 180 of the aircraft have been ordered so far for €20 billion ($26.8 billion) by OCCAR, the European organisation for military cooperation that represents seven countries.