A400M programme review completed
Amsterdam, 01 December 2006
The two month-review of the A400M-program, mandated by the CEOs of EADS in September, has been completed this week through presentations to OCCAR and the EADS Board of Directors.
This review was the most comprehensive assessment ever done on an EADS development program. The review team which incorporated external experts and “veterans” from the A380 review of last summer, conducted intensive program management and floor level interviews, industrial site visits and data analysis, capitalizing on reference data from the A380 and other programs as far as applicable.
As to the findings, the review validated that the A400M program is currently progressing according to the contractually agreed schedule. However, the program challenges ahead until first delivery in 2009 are assessed as significant and the review has clearly identified several critical risk areas: systems design (in particular electrical harnesses), maturity of military mission systems, engine modifications, remaining work to be done on the Final Assembly Line.
The review team has proposed detailed mitigating actions to comply with the delivery schedule committed to customers. These actions were endorsed by the CEOs of EADS and the Board of Directors. Implementation will be followed by Louis Gallois and Thomas Enders personally, on a bi-monthly basis.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the international leader in missile systems. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is one of the largest industrial partners for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
Contacts for the media:
| Michael Hauger | EADS |
Tel.: +49 89 60 73 42 35 |
| Isabelle Desmet | EADS |
Tel.: +33 1 42 24 20 63 |
| Miguel Sanchez | EADS |
Tel.: +34 91 5 85 77 89 |
