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December 23, 2002

Britain is buying 25 A400M four engine tactical transports (C-130 class, but a bit larger). But because of the rising cost of the yet undelivered aircraft, they have decided to only equip nine of the aircraft with defensive systems against portable anti-aircraft missiles. The defensive systems (missile detectors and flare dispensers) can be quickly shifted from one aircraft to another as needed, as the A400M is not expected to always operate in areas where there is danger of missile attack.