The troubled European Airbus A400M military transport aircraft programme has hit more turbulence with a report that France, one of the main pillars of the programme, has approached the US regarding the cost and availability of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transports.

France has 50 A400Ms on order, second only to Germany’s 60, and well ahead of third-placed Spain’s 27. South Africa is a risk-sharing partner in the A400M programme, with eight of the aircraft on order for the South African Air Force.

France stresses that it remains committed to the A400M programme – the country’s defence procurement agency DGA told respected British aerospace weekly Flight International that “the French defence ministry is determined to find a good solution to continue the A400M programme”, and the C-17 enquiry is believed to concern only three aircraft. But it could result in France reducing its order for A400Ms.

In the middle of last month, DGA director-general Laurent Collet-Billon warned that his agency could, as it is contractually entitled to do, refuse to accept A400Ms delivered after the currently agreed final date. He said that it “was one of the alternatives which we have to examine. We have not yet finished examining the capability gap and that could lead to a reduction in the target” of 50 aircraft.

In a statement recently released to Flight, the DGA points out that there “is an operational gap for military transport and the French defence ministry is looking forward and studying all the transitional solutions. The C-17 is one of them, but there are several other options and nothing is decided at the moment.” Nevertheless, it is reported that the French have written to the US Air Force about the possible acquisition of the C-17. It is not known if the French are thinking of buying the aircraft or leasing them as an interim solution.

In addition to France, Germany, South Africa and Spain, the A400M is also on order from Belgium, Britain, Luxembourg, Malaysia and Turkey.

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