Airbus. Part-Two.

The Military Side.

With the ongoing development of the Airbus A400M, there is also the adaption of some earlier models now for in flight refuelling roles and other transport requirements. Airbus is moving into the military market to challenge its U.S. counterparts of Lockheed and Boeing, who have been Kings of transport and a variety of other military aviation roles for well over fifty years. 

Recent orders by N.A.T.O. members of the A400m have been disappointing and many have returned the aircraft and both newer versions of the Lockheed Hercules. Despite a recent accident with an A400M in Spain, Airbus has to push on with it development.

Success in the civil market has been phenomenal, but I wonder will they really do that well in the military. Perhaps the take over of the helicopter construction and market will do them much better with many already well established designs such as the EC-135/45, Tiger,  Cougar/Super Puma family.

French Military. Part-One.

Long Influence.

France is one of those countries that has a long history of supplying military technology across the world. Controversy at the moment about selling a commissioned warship to Russia, while back in the Falklands war it was the Exocet missiles that did a lot of damage to the British.

France has built a generation of armoured cars in the Panhard series, which serve world wide from basic to powerful and they meet the needs of most small armies. Yet France has a Nuclear capability in its own ICBM's, aircraft carriers, warships and submarines, as well as its own advanced Mirage to Rafael combat aircraft.

It has also worked jointly with the United Kingdom on the development of the Gazelle, and Puma helicopters. Meanwhile following this weeks events in the Paris area we saw some of the paramilitary police vehicles being used.