Europe's A400M troop plane hits new engine glitch

Airbus has grounded Europe's flagship army plane at next week's high-profile Farnborough Airshow as France's Senate voiced concern on Thursday over engine problems and spares shortages on the A400M military transport aircraft.

Confirming an exclusive Reuters story, Airbus said it had dropped the A400M's wheeling and steeply slanted flying display for the second year in a row after engine problems.

A Senate panel said after studying delays and overruns in Europe's largest arms project that problems with the aircraft's huge turboprop engines should be kept under close surveillance, but it did not expect further slippage in deliveries.

The panel also pinpointed risks due to a lack of funding for spare parts to support the troop and cargo carrier once it enters service next year, following four years of delays.

"We must not have a situation where budget restrictions on spares throw the whole program into doubt," said Jean-Louis Carriere, president of the Senate's foreign affairs commission, outlining a report on Europe's effort to build its own airlift capacity to support military and humanitarian operations.

The A400M cost €20 billion ($25 billion) to develop and is designed to add airlift capacity for seven European NATO nations: Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey.

It was designed to end Europe's reliance on the U.S.-built Lockheed C-130 workhorse and the bigger Boeing C-17, which are the backbone on most NATO armed forces' transport fleets.

The European plane has suffered a series of teething problems with its engines, the largest turboprops ever built in the West, leading to billions of euros in cost overruns. …

They could've bought the tried-and-true American version

There is no "tried and true American" version. The US manufactures no airlifter between the C-130 and the C-17.

How many Puma IFVs can you fit in a C-17? Two. But that limits you in the number of airfields you can get the beast into.

Maybe you need a smaller prop powered airplane. How many can yo fit into a A-400M? One.

What about the "competition" How many can you fit into a C-130? Zero. It's too heavy, too wide, too tall.

The C-130 may have been Fat Albert 40 years ago, but today, it's not big enough. Of all freighters in development or production between 60 and 140 ton AUW, the Hecules is the skinniest.

Now they won't all find markets, but one or two of them will, and the marketing people at Lockmart don't seem to get that - the head honcho has suggested a widened C-130 may be possible in the late 20s. By that time the world's airforces will be flying European, Brazilian, Russian, or maybe Japanese.

What does reemplazos mean?

That America no longer creates jobs is a result of high taxes, budget deficits, and Fed-created inflation

So you agree America no longer creates jobs. yes those things are bad for job creation and even more so are the 100,000 pages of government regulations. Still there are some jobs being created and some manufacturing left in America. So even these things haven't killed off manufacturing nor jobs in America. But china has stolen thousands of industries from the U.S.A like each industry for each consumer electronic product and the parts for each etc. How many smart phones are manufactured in the U.S.A.? Zero. could they be manufactured here ? Yes there is still a lot of U.S. manufacturing. so you are saying it is ok for the U.s. not to manufacture any of these . And also you are saying it is ok for china to steal what's left of U.S. manufacturing and associated jobs.

Yes there is still a lot of U.S. manufacturing. so you are saying it is ok for the U.s. not to manufacture any of these .

I'm saying it's OK if Americans don't find it profitable to risk their capital on those products. It's each person's [or company's] choice where to invest. Now, if the regulations and taxes were reduced, entrepreneurs might, once again, find those lines of production profitable. It is always government intervention in the economy that harms production.

And also you are saying it is ok for china to steal what's left of U.S. manufacturing and associated jobs.

I never said that. Why did you say I did? Your first comment was sensible; but then you go all emotional and start putting words in my mouth.

What are you saying that the U.S. is no longer the greatest job creating machine ever? It used to be but after your free trade with China now the job creation in the U.S. is a joke. Yes but you still push for more trade with China.

You cannot blame trade with China for our lack of job creation. Taxes, the threat of new taxes [Obamacare, repeal of the "Bush" tax cuts], EPA regulations, OSHA regulations, Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, Dodd-Frank regulations, capital gains taxes, and fifty years of Federal Reserve inflation are the cause of our lack of job creation.

The Chinese didn't steal jobs from us. We gave 'em away. China wouldn't be punished by tariffs -- Americans who buy their products would.

a symptom rather than a cause

Very, very true. Trade deficits are a symptom of unfavorable economic conditions [always government-caused,] not the cause.

Many FReepers misunderstand my support of free trade.

I don't wish to see individual citizens penalized by the government [through tariffs] for trading with someone in a particular country unless that country is declared an enemy.

The regulations, fiscal policy, and monetary policy our government has imposed on us should be changed to eliminate the conditions that make American industry uncompetitive. Now, other countries would still have a comparative advantage in some products, but it wouldn't be a government-imposed comparative advantage.

The U.s. created zero net jobs in the 2000 - 2010 decade.

In contrast 22 milion jobs created in the 1990’s. And we did have a huge government, high taxes, and hundreds of thousands of government regulations in the 1990’s too( of course this is in spite of these thing). In fact in the 2000’s we had lower taxes than in the 1990’s( the Bush tax cuts). the main difference is that Clinton signed NAFTA and the free trade agreement with china. And Trade with China and other countries exploded in the decade of 2000- 2010. Your free trade is just one sided trade that China manipulates to Rip off America. Now china has stolen thousands of industries from the U.S. like the many industries of the consumer electronics industries( smart phones, ipads, kindles, etc.). Yes you agree with Clinton and Obama on free trade.

We have zero jobs created in 2000’s and 14 million new foreign immigrants and their children born here after that, close to 40 million increase in population and you say the U.S. job market is not broken. There naturally has to be created many fast food joints, gas stations , walmarts( the foreigners are all there), to accommodate this population and still we have no net jobs. That's what America is becoming retail outlets for things made in other countries. and you think we can keep our technological advantage like that ?

The U.s. created zero net jobs in the 2000 - 2010 decade.

In contrast 22 milion jobs created in the 1990’s. And we did have a huge government, high taxes, and hundreds of thousands of government regulations in the 1990’s too( of course job growth is in spite of these things). In fact in the 2000’s we had lower taxes than in the 1990’s( the Bush tax cuts). the main difference is that Clinton signed NAFTA and the free trade agreement with china. And Trade with China and other countries exploded in the decade of 2000- 2010. Your free trade is just one sided trade that China manipulates to Rip off America. Now china has stolen thousands of industries from the U.S. like the many industries of the consumer electronics industries( smart phones, ipads, kindles, etc.). Yes you agree with Clinton and Obama on free trade.

The U.S. created zero net jobs in the 2000 - 2010 decade.

In contrast 22 million jobs created in the 1990’s. And we did have a huge government, high taxes, and hundreds of thousands of government regulations in the 1990’s too( of course job growth is in spite of these things). In fact in the 2000’s we had lower taxes than in the 1990’s( the Bush tax cuts). the main difference , the reason for no jobs in the 2000’s vs the 22 million in the 1990’s drum roll is: that Clinton signed NAFTA and the free trade agreement with china AND that Trade with China and other countries exploded in the decade of 2000- 2010, in short your “free trade”.Your free trade is just one sided trade that China manipulates to Rip off America. Now china has stolen thousands of industries from the U.S. like the many industries of the consumer electronics industries( smart phones, ipads, kindles, etc.). Yes you agree with Clinton and Obama on free trade.

https://www.numbersusa.com/content/nusablog/beckr/august-19-2009/125000-brand-new-foreign-workers-work-permits-each-month-heres-proof.h

The U.S. created zero net jobs in the 2000 - 2010 decade.

That's a useless statistic often, as it turns out, used by the Democrats to bash Bush and the GOP.

You will remember that Bush took office just as the Fed-caused Dot-com bust took hold. Millions of jobs created during the 90's were wiped out (conveniently for Slick Willie) under Bush's watch. But by 2003 after Bush's tax cuts went into effect, the job situation turned around.

From 2003 through 2007, 8 million jobs were created -- and every one of them while we traded with China. But when the next Fed-caused recession hit in late 2008, 8 million other jobs disappeared.

It had nothing to do with free trade [funny how you protectionists disparage freedom,] and everything to do with the government's insistence that cheap credit and printed money will "grow" the economy.

So, to claim that no net jobs were created since 2000 is technically true, but millions upon millions were created only to be wiped out by our own government's fiscal and monetary idiocy.

Choose better statistics if you want to argue your case convincingly.

to claim that no net jobs were created since 2000 is technically true

You are spinning and playing with stats.

You agree no jobs created since 2000, no jobs in the 21st century in the country that used to be greatest job creating engiine in history. and in the 1990’s we had 22 million net jobs created but in 2000’s zero net jobs. And we had higher taxes in the 1990’s( Bush tax cuts in 2000’s). And bush's EPA etc were less brown shirted than under Clinton. We had a huge government in the 1990’s , higher taxes than in 2000’s .WE had 100,000’s of pages of government regulations in the 1990’s but still had 22 million net jobs in the 1990’s . the reason we have had zero net jobs created in the 2000’s decade is because of free trade , especially with china. The government spent and borrowed trillions in the 2000’s , the population grew by what 50 million in the 2000’s and still zero net jobs created and you say we don't have a huge problem and the causes you say were there in the 1990’s and we had 22 million new jobs in the 1990’s so it's not that . the only thing is your free trade. trully the U.S. is collapsing. you fail to understand that trading with all these countries is what did it. you want to keep trading with China. you must have some agenda or vested interest. surely you can see the U.S. is collapsing just the huge debt and no jobs stats should show you that. You really believe you will have any ability to survive anywhere in the world when the collapse comes? you are aiding that collapse by aiding china. there is nothing in the constitution or freedom that says we have to trade with China at all .we can produce anything in the U.S. and guess what then we'd have jobs and something called technology back in the U.S.

to claim that no net jobs were created since 2000 is technically true

No my longer term stats are more accurate and represent the real picture you cherry pick stats that don't show the long term trend , that show the collapse of jobs and the collapse of the U.S.

22 milion new jobs created in the 1990’s. still had huge government, 100,000’s of pages of government regulations, oppressive Clinton regulatory regime, higher taxes

0 jobs created in the 2000’s: lower taxes than in the 1990’s (Bush tax cuts). less oppressive Bush EPA and Bush government than Clinton's.

So the difference is increase in trade with other countries especially China.That's why we had zero job growth in the decade of the 2000’s . In fact as you agree we've had zero net jobs created in the 21st century and this is with what 50 milllion increase in population. There has been a huge increase in retail outlets, gas stations, restaurants to serve this population increase and these are the “Jobs you say are created. This is what we are becoming restaurants, retail outlets, fast food joints, and you think that is ok. No you have to have manufacturing to survive.

No my longer term stats are more accurate and represent the real picture you cherry pick stats that don't show the long term trend , that show the collapse of jobs and the collapse of the U.S.

No my longer term stats are more accurate and represent the real picture you cherry pick stats that don't show the long term trend , that show the collapse of jobs and the collapse of the U.S.

I guess you don't bother to read. The job losses in the 21st century were not caused by trade with China. They were caused by the Federal Reserve's policy of monetary inflation that has produced two recessions in a decade.

If you disagree with my assertion, then explain why. Don't just repeat yourself.

No the fed didn’t cause job losses. It was your free trade.

There have been millions of jobs created . The problem is those are not good jobs that allow the U.S. to retain the technological advantage. Everywhere we see new restaurants, gas stations, walmarts, retail outlets and a lof of service companies that provide services. So there have been jobs created. But the good ones have been lost and so we have a net zero gain. We need manufacturing. YOu say it is ok to let China and others have countless industries they stole from us. Name one consumer electronic product like a smart phone that is manufactured in mass in the U.S.A. every time you look at a product and it says made in china that means that industry is gone to China and all it’s related parts also. I’ve been looking at products for 10 years and most say made in china . there is no way once the genie is out of the bottle and people know they can pay workers in China 50 cents an hour that they will go back to the U.S.A and pay them 20 dollars an hour. Any manufacturing we have left will be gone soon if we don’t change our currency and put quotas and tarifs on imported manufactured products, do to China what China has done to us , fight fire with fire, fight back.

When someone is trying to bring you down do you help them or fight back? are you an American ? do you want technology here or just mcjobs at mcdonalds?

No the fed didn’t cause job losses. It was your free trade.

You make assertions with absolutely no economic principles to back them up.

When the Fed inflates the money supply [as it's been doing for some 50 years, now,] prices and wages in the U.S. rise faster than they do in other countries. This makes the U.S. uncompetitive in world markets.

If the money supply remained stable, capital investments in technology would drive American prices and costs of production down or at least maintain them. Germany and Japan are the two poster-children for this principle.

There's a reason Japan and Germany maintain big trade surpluses even though they're both advanced industrial economies. The reason is a stable money supply. They are both high-wage nations, but they remain competitive because technological advances offset their increasing costs.

You insist on advocating economic nationalism without any economic theory. That's your privilege, but, frankly, you're just wrong.

Whatever you say the fed is doing does not absolve how china has been dumping products into the U.S.A to destroy the U.S. You say you are for free enterprise but you are not because you are for allowing China to merge their economy with the U.S.A's. You and Obama are allowing China to dictate industrial policy to us, what we manufacture etc.(which is nothing soon). I am for the separation of the U.S. and china you seem to be for the merging of the two, with a communist country. Funny that the U.S. was much better off for all the 50 years of the cold war when the U.S. had a trade embargo on china. why are you for the merging of china and the U.S.? you are a globalist. are you for any border or any laws at all , customs, border control? We have a nation and a constitution and borders. We have to protect them . We can't allow china nor any nation to send a billion immigrants into the U.S. or a million pounds of cocaine, or a thousand tons of chemical weapons if they just say it is “free trade” ( yes sending workers can also be called free trade so are you for allowing China to send a 100 million workers into the U.S. since you are for allowing china so much freedom? that's what you are saying you want to give china freedom and you justify it by calling it freedom. Well we can't give monsters that are 2 billion strong freedom to destabilize and destroy America be it by allowing it to send armies, or millions of workers, nor any of the things I mentioned so neither can we allow china to DUMP TRILLIONS OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE DESTROYING U.S. ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE AND ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCE JOBS. But you are for that .

Free trade has nothing whatsoever to do with illegal immigration. That's nonsense. And if China is "dumping" products here then they are making their own people poorer and us richer. We will have more money to spend on other things. Sweet.

I don't know where you got the idea that America is such a weakling, that it cannot allow its citizens the freedom to buy from and sell to whomever they can make the best deal with. Most conservatives claim to love individual freedom; you, sir, are apparently against it.

You probably think that some government control over our lives is necessary for the common good. Funny. That's the same thing the communists claim. I prefer to make my own decisions. When we all are doing the best for ourselves, the "common good" will take care of itself.

Now, I sit back and wait for your justifications for more government control over our lives.

China is a communist country and has an industrial policy. You are for the merging ouf the U.S. economy and China’s economy . So you are for China dictating industrial policy to the U.S. ( what the U.S. can produce etc, that is not free markets nor free enterprise that is socialism and government control).The GOVERNMENT OF China has even bought a U.S. national bank and U.S. debt. Why are you for the merging of the U.S. economy and China’s? China controls our politicians with lobbyists and bribes and power. And you are saying that my wanting to stop china is controlling our lives. you are for giving the government of china more freedom to control our lives. i am for returning to the trade embargo on China that we had for all of the decades of the cold war.

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