Bundeswehr is examining the purchase of new A400M transport aircraft

The Bundeswehr is considering purchasing several new Airbus A400M transport aircraft. Boris Pistorius (SPD) announced this during a visit to the Airbus factory in Bremen. The Defense Minister said they are thinking “very specifically” about replacing 16 existing aircraft, which were only designed for logistical purposes, with fully operational tactical aircraft. “The current security situation requires us to rethink this.”

The Bundeswehr currently has 53 A400M aircraft. According to Pistorius, the 16 affected machines are not equipped for military operations in the strict sense. For example, they lacked missile defense systems. The exchange would “once again significantly increase” the operational readiness of the Air Force.

According to the minister, the costs are in the billions. Depending on the equipment, the aircraft are estimated to cost between 150 and 200 million euros each.

Before the decision is made, the Bundestag must agree, said Pistorius. Discussions with Airbus are already underway, but there is still a need for clarification here too. The Bundeswehr has clear ideas about the operational readiness and operating costs of the aircraft. If a deal were to take place, partner countries could buy the decommissioned machines.

Pistorius praised the A400M as “the best aircraft of its kind.” ⁠Initial “teething problems” have been overcome. There were several problems with the machines in the 1900s, which were due, among other things, to a lack of quality control at Airbus. The first A400M built for the Bundeswehr was delivered in 2014 - four years later and several hundred million euros more expensive than planned.