A400M: You've been reading it here

One wonders if any of our media's writers on defence matters will report this (just noticed, h/t to Retired AF Guy at Milnet.ca):

France's new defence minister predicted a delay in the A400M airlifter in another blow for planemaker Airbus, and criticised costly projects to build over-sophisticated weapons when cheaper ones would do.

Herve Morin's remarks, in an interview with newspaper La Tribune published on Monday, reflect growing fears that deliveries of the A400M will be hit by a flaw in its turboprop engines.

"There is a slight delay. It will reach our forces several months later than planned," Morin, who was appointed in May, told La Tribune.

The newspaper quoted unidentified sources as saying French procurement agency DGA expected the A400M to enter service as much as six to nine months behind an end-2009 target date.

France is the first customer for the tactical airlifter being developed for seven European nations as well as for export...

It is not yet clear whether the production delays will hit deliveries, which determine the timing of revenue payments to Airbus, already facing a cash squeeze due to civil jet delays.

PROBABLY DELAYS

The chief executive of Airbus parent EADS (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), Louis Gallois, told Reuters last month such delays were "probable".

Under pressure to minimise disruption, Airbus has started a detailed review of the A400M programme and is expected to make a final decision on delivery delays before the end of the year.

Industry officials blame a flaw related to the engines, which feature the world's largest aircraft propellers...

The new French government seems refreshingly realistic.

Update: More details on what the delay may mean (full text subscriber only):

Delivery of the first flight-test TP400 engine will now be nearly a solid year behind schedule at best, and the effects of this delay are starting to reverberate throughout the European A400M airlifter program. At least a half-dozen of the Airbus Military transports are expected to be handed over late.

The Europrop TP400-D6 had originally been due in November 2006 at Marshall Aerospace, with flight testing to begin in early 2007. That U.K. facility is modifying a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules for the role...

...The A400M contract is a fixed-price commercial pact with delay penalty clauses. A late hand-over of aircraft could increase the financial risk for Airbus-parent EADS and its partners.

A government program official indicates that at least five A400Ms will not be completed on time. A senior German air force officer notes that they’ve been told the first seven A400Ms will not meet the present schedule.

Although Germany deliveries aren’t affected as yet, the military is preparing for that contingency, the officer says...

Moreover, when the first A400M is delivered, the government official indicates, the story will still not be over. The first aircraft will not meet government requirements and will have to be returned to industry for rework, he suggests.

Concerns have been mounting for months about the serious schedule slippage, although, so far, only one contractual milestone—the start of final assembly—has been missed...