Airbus Restructures A400M Program

Airbus Defence and Space said today it has named Fernando Alonso head of its military aircraft business, beginning March 1, and will restructure its A400M program.

Alonso, who will take over for Domingo Urena-Raso, has served as Airbus' head of flight test operations since 2007.

In the company announcement, Bernhard Gerwert, chief executive of Airbus Defence and Space, said the A400M program's integration of military capabilities and industrial ramp-up have been falling short.

"'[W]e have not been performing at the level which had been expected from us. That is unacceptable and we will fix that,'" he said.

Under the restructuring, the operations organization will take responsibility for all industrial-related activities for the A400M program, while program-related activities will remain within the military aircraft business unit, the company said.