Spain is likely to cancel remaining Airbus A400M military transport orders

European defense sources believe that after Spain’s air force indicated that it did not need the extra planes, it is likely to cancel the remaining 13 Airbus A400M troop plane that is in its quota and not yet delivered.

Spain had ordered 27 of the European airlifters and is responsible for assembling the aircraft on behalf of all buyers.

Designed to boost the strategic autonomy of seven European NATO nations that earlier relied on U.S. airlift, the A400M project has been hit by a series of cost overruns and delays.

The Airbus A400M Atlas is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabilities to replace older U.S. transport aircraft, such as the Transall C-160 and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

Reuters reported as per sources that Spain and Airbus are in discussions over how to soften any impact from a partial A400M order cancellation.

In 2022, Spain had also ordered extra 20 Eurofighter combat jets, a four-nation fighter programme for which Airbus is the industrial partner in Spain and Germany.