The A400M programme will follow a similar process of design, development, certification and production to Airbus civil aircraft programmes. All development and production activities prior to entry into service are combined into a single phase. This single phase represents a 77-month programme to first delivery with a first flight scheduled at 56 months from the contract effectiveness.
Airbus Military is the prime contractor for the A400M programme and represents the single point of contact between the customers and industry. It holds the contractual responsibility to honour price proposals, performance guarantees and delivery dates.
Contract administration of the A400M programme is handled jointly on behalf of the customer nations by the European central procurement agency OCCAR. For A400M orders from export customers, contracts will be established on a bi-lateral basis between the nation concerned and Airbus Military.
The industrial responsibilities of the partners are presently distributed in a similar way to those of the Airbus partnership. Aircraft sub-assemblies will be manufactured by the partners at different sites across Europe and delivered to the single final assembly line. Each participant is responsible for its own centre of competence and benefits from a percentage of the aerostructures work-share in direct relationship to the number of aircraft ordered by its national government.
