Turkey to earn 1.1 billion euros from A400M sales

ISTANBUL — The A400M cargo plane, which will be sold to air forces in Turkey, the U.K., Belgium, France and Luxemburg is expected to pump 1.1 billion euros (TL 3.14 billion) into the Turkish economy by 2030.

A400M Transport Aircraft Project Manager Osman Soylu said that Turkey, England, France, Belgium and Luxemburg would manufacture 170 aircraft as part of a joint consortium.

In addition to emphasizing that all aircrafts would be manufactured solely with equipment produced in countries that are part of the consortium, Soylu noted that Turkey had a 6 percent share in the manufacturing of the A400M. "Turkish companies from the defense industry have a share in the process of design and manufacturing of the A400M. In the scope of the program, engineers and technicians of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TUSAŞ) will design and manufacture main structural components such as some parts of the aircraft's airframe, paratrooper doors, emergency exit door and tail cone together with ailerons, lighting system and waste/fresh water systems. All the cabling system will be manufactured by TUSAŞ.

In other words, the TUSAŞ cabling system will be used in all 170 aircrafts. With this share in manufacture, Turkey will gain 1.1 billion euros by the end of 2030. It will be a very significant source for Turkey's economy," added Soylu. "Every A400M aircraft will feature equipment designed and manufactured by TUSAŞ. Moreover, companies having a share in the program will repair and maintain the aircraft," Soylu remarked.