KUALA LUMPUR: It looks like that our first A400M wont be around by 2012 then. By the looks of things and if we are lucky, we may end up with the first plane in 2015! By that time, Malaysian Defence hoped somebody would decided whether we still need the Airbuses or whether its time to purchase the J-version of the Charlie which makes more sense on economic and logical point of view.

BTW, the Agong is scheduled to launch KD Tun Abdul Razak eight days after Raya. Malaysian Defence wonders who will be there to accompany him, Pak Lah, Najib or none of the above? The King missed the launching of the first submarine due to a breach of protocol, one wonders whether RMN will be more lucky this time around?

It appears that the current mess is also holding up the decision for the Nuri Replacement Programme. So it seems that the AW101 got a reprieve, drats!

Fiirst A400M flight delayed (from Airbus website)

The first flight of the A400M until now planned before the end of 2008 will be postponed, because of the unavailability of the propulsion system.

The first flight actually depends on the results of the test campaign to be done on the flying test bed, which should start in the coming weeks, and on the readiness of the propulsion system.

Only after this and further discussions with customers, the financial, technical and schedule implications can be reliably assessed. The 2008 guidance of the group is not changed at this point.

–Malaysian Defence