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Expensive airplanes

December 2, 2009

Seven countries that purchased the A400M military transport plane have met in Berlin to discuss the rising cost of its development, even as they continue to await delivery.

https://p.dw.com/p/KpFb
The Airbus A400M
The A400M is a new military transport plane from AirbusImage: AP

Representatives from seven countries purchasing the Airbus A400M, a new military transport plane, met Wednesday in Berlin to discuss the future of the project amid continued delays and rising costs.

The first A400M was supposed to go to the French army in September, but problems in its development have continued to stall delivery. The first group of planes is now expected to be delivered by 2013. Development of the A400M has ended up considerably more expensive than first planned. Focus Online, the website of the weekly news magazine Focus, reported costs could rise by 5.3 million euros ($8 million).

A spokesman for Airbus said clarity was needed over how the costs would be met, as the company had already invested heavily in the A400M.

In 2003, Germany, France, Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey collectively purchased 180 planes from Airbus' parent company, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company. The total cost of the planes came to roughly 20 million euros ($30 million).

mk/AFP/dpa
Editor: Holly Fox

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