NEWS IN BRIEF
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EUROPE
20 May 20. The delayed A400M military airlifter will likely fly for the first time around the end of this year, Louis Gallois, chief executive of European aerospace and defence group EADS (EAD.PA), told L’Express magazine. Asked whether comments by the head of French aerospace group Safran (SAF.PA) earlier this year suggesting a first flight was possible before the end of the year were realistic, Gallois said: “With a margin of a few weeks, yes.”Safran co-leads a four-nation consortium with Britain’s Rolls-Royce (RR.L) to build the engine for the A400M. The A400M, which is running 3-4 years late and is expected to cost EADS billions of euros in charges, is Europe’s biggest military project and seen as crucial to EADS’ efforts to reduce dependence on Airbus passenger jets. (Source: Reuters)
May 09. In a recent report BAE CTAI stated that the design for the CTA canon would be frozen, apart from the Air Burst Round, at the end of this year. Sources also suggest that CTAI had to change the propellant, was this to counter reported obturation problems/
May 09. FRES Scout PQQ issued. Reports suggest that the MoD has issued its FRES Scout PQQ which includes CTA as the mandated canon. Other sources suggest that the MoD has admitted quietly to errors in the FRES UV procurement process which now appears to be resurrected with visits to KMW to see Boxer and MOWAG to discuss Piranha 5. Atkins is belived to have a much reduced role in the process.
26 May 09. Puma upgrade in Romania is stalled ‘over fears for votes’. A plan to award Romania a £400m contract to upgrade Royal Air Force helicopters has been delayed amid fears of a voter backlash. Senior military officers have told The Times that the Government is holding up the contract to overhaul the RAF Pumas for political reasons. The work on the 33 Puma transport helicopters is expected to be done in Romania by Eurocopter, but Labour MPs are worried about the reaction of voters amid rising unemployment in Britain. The Government is said to favour switching the £250m to £400m contract from Eurocopter to AgustaWestland, which would upgrade the Royal Navy’s Sea Kings instead of the Pumas. The work would be done in Yeovil and could create hundreds of jobs. However, this is not an option that the Armed Forces favour because the Pumas are better suited to “hot and high” work in Afghanistan. A senior military officer said: “The Puma decision is all about politics. We need the aircraft, but it is not politically acceptable to be sending work to Romania.” (Source: The Times)
20 May 09. The delayed A400M military airlifter will likely fly for the first time around the end of this year, Louis Gallois, chief executive
of European aerospace and defence group EADS (EAD.PA), told L’Express magazine. Asked whether comments by the head of French aerospace group Safran (SAF.PA) earlier this year suggesting a first flight was possible before the end of the year were realistic, Gallois said: “With a margin of a few weeks, yes.”Safran co-leads a four-nation consorti