Germany already operates the world's largest A400M transport fleet, with 53 aircraft. It is not stopping there, however, negotiations are underway with Airbus over a possible purchase of additional airframes, though the deal does not necessarily imply a net increase in numbers.
According to hartpunkt, the discussions concern 10 to 20 aircraft in the most advanced tactical configuration. The outlet adds that the new airframes could be equipped with the capability to launch drones or cruise missiles.
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Within the Luftwaffe, there are discussions about selling the earliest airframes as they are replaced by newer ones though this idea is meeting resistance, in part due to the value of maintaining a large fleet in wartime.
The order also has an economic rationale: Airbus's production capacity is currently booked through 2029, and a purchase of around 16 additional aircraft would extend that horizon by a further two years.
Defense Express notes that if Germany does sign a contract for more A400Ms, its fleet would number between 63 and 73 aircraft upon delivery, depending on the final scope of the deal cementing the country's strategic role in European airlift missions.
By comparison, France has an order for 50 aircraft but has received only 25 so far. Spain's situation is more complicated still: it currently operates 14 airframes but has shown little appetite for procuring the remaining aircraft needed to reach its planned total of 27. Germany would therefore hold a commanding advantage in the region.
Combined with ongoing work on weapons integration, a large A400M fleet could evolve into a platform for long-range strike missions in addition to its baseline capability of carrying up to 37 tonnes of cargo and conducting aerial refuelling.
More broadly, expanding the transport fleet makes sense against the backdrop of Germany's plans to grow its armed forces a trend also reflected in the recent large-scale order for military trucks.
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