Turkey manufactures Airbus A400M fuselage

Turkish Aerospace Industries company TUSAS has started manufacturing fuselage of the Airbus A400M, Europe's biggest and most modern military transport aircraft, news agencies reported citing a statement issued by the company.

• The first aircraft will be delivered in 2012 as part of a $20 billion partnership project launched by Turkey, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg in 2003.
• The project, launched in 2003 is meant to renew the partner nations’ military cargo planes.
• The Airbus A400M, equipped with a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft has a capacity of 37 tons- 120 fully equipped troops or paratroops.
• Its maximum takeoff weight is 136.5 tons and its maximum speed is 560 km/h.