Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Julian Moxon/PARIS
Rolls-Royce, Snecma and MTU are talking about offering a joint powerplant for the Airbus Military Company (AMC) A400M. Political pressure is forcing the companies to find a way of merging their rival bids.
AMC shelved its engine selection for the A400M last July, citing "purely commercial reasons", but Flight International revealed that the powerplant bidders were facing government pressure to come up with a "joint European solution" (Flight International, 28 July-3 August, 1999). This was to ensure that none of the losers would be prevented from taking a share of the work.
R-R has been invited to enter talks with Snecma and its partners in the proposed M138 turboprop programme, which include Germany's MTU, Fiat of Italy and Spain's ITP.
R-R sources claim the UK company initially approached Snecma late last year. The "current discussions are the follow-up to this, and aim to investigate what common ground exists".
The sources add that the powerplant makers "are aware that the engine decision needs to take into account European industrial requirements, while at the same time providing the most effective solution for the customer".
R-R's bid had been led by its German operation proposing the BR700-TP. It is unclear whether the M138 or BR700-TP could form the basis of a merged offer.
A decision by the seven countries evaluating the A400Mhas been delayed until at least the end of the first quarter of this year.
Some of the nations are evaluating proposals from Boeing, which is offering the C-17, and the Airtruck consortium bidding with a Westernised version of the Antonov An-70 and the Lockheed Martin C-130J.
Source: Flight International
