The Bundeswehr has drawn drastic consequences due to new quality defects in the troop transport A400M.
Because of problems with the propellers, the troupe refuses to SPIEGEL information now for the time being, already for the transport fleet of the Air Force produced A400M from the manufacturer Airbus.
Shortly before that, an A400M in France had been discovered to have lost important screws on the propellers of the aircraft. As a result, extensive inspections were ordered for all A400M customers. The now lead in Germany to failures of A400M aircraft and restrictions on the operational readiness of the Air Force.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed on SPIEGEL request the process. A spokesman said Airbus manufacturer "had to make sure before delivery that the A400M is fully operational, including eliminating the lack of propeller". Because that had not happened yet, "the takeover of the one upcoming A400M was not done at the moment".
The defect concerns 24 fastening nuts, so-called dowel bolt nuts, they connect the outgoing from the propeller shaft shaft with the propeller. If the nuts unscrew as in the A400M in France, this could lead to "serious structural damage to the propeller and the shaft," said the ministry spokesman.
Fastening nuts on 31 German Bundeswehr aircraft are checked
The Bundeswehr also ordered due to the problem extensive reviews of the 31 already delivered A400M. For each machine, the technicians need at least 30 hours, the affected aircraft are thus at least one day off. Despite the failures, however, the Air Force is still able to lift its mission flights, according to the ministry.
Manufacturer Airbus reacted cautiously to a SPIEGEL inquiry on the new problems. Airbus is working with all customers to achieve the goals set for the A400M, a spokesman said. Germany is currently "in discussions about the special delivery criteria". But this is "part of the standard process".
For Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the new problems come at an inopportune time. Since assuming office, the CDU boss makes headlines with announcements for new foreign missions of the Bundeswehr. So she announced that Germany wanted to participate in a security force for northern Syria or even lead them.
The fact that the A400M, which is logistically indispensable for any mission of the German Armed Forces to transport soldiers and material, is again causing considerable problems, acts as a reality check for Kramp-Karrenbauer's foreign policy ambitions and the question of whether their troops are carrying out new missions can.
For years, the A400M has been considered one of the sad examples of chaos in the purchase of armaments. Started as a European project, there were always new problems. In the end, the aircraft were considerably more expensive than planned and delivered with years of delay and had to go to considerable deficiencies.
In recent months, however, there has been hopeful news from the modern troop-carrier. Step by step, it was able to establish important capabilities of the aircraft, including, in particular, the protection against rocket attacks or the possibility of dropping soldiers off the air for flights in crisis areas.
