RAF Chief: British A400M's are NOT to be called "Grizzly"...

[Stratofreighter]

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, Britain's top air force officer, delivered a blunt veto from the RAF...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66 ... %20News%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Grizzly? Not likely, RAF tells A400M bosses

Credit: Reuters/Kieran Doherty

FARNBOROUGH | Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:02pm BST

FARNBOROUGH England (Reuters) - The Royal Air Force is definitely not amused by the nickname provided by Airbus for its A400M military transporter -- the "Grizzly."

The European planemaker held a baptism ceremony for the bulky troop transporter at the Farnborough Airshow this week, using the moniker invented by the plane's test pilots.

Paw prints were painted over the grounds in a marketing stunt to introduce the "Grizzly" to the global defence industry.

But Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, Britain's top air force officer, delivered a blunt veto from the RAF.

"It's absolutely appalling," he told Reuters.

"It has no provenance, no acceptance and it will enter RAF service with that name over my dead body."

The naming row risks embarrassment for Airbus, which has spent months fending off controversy over delays and billions of euros of cost overruns on Europe's largest defence project.

"The name is only for the prototype aircraft. The nations are free to select whatever name they wish," said Airbus Military spokesman Jaime Perez-Guerra.

Finding agreement on names for pan-European military hardware projects is a notoriously tricky diplomatic exercise.

Britain was accused of being insensitive in the 1990s when it decided to name the four-nation Eurofighter combat jet after an aircraft which bombed Germany in World War II, the Typhoon.

Dalton said Britain had its own proposed name for the A400M, but this would be discussed first with its partners in the project: France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Britain has ordered 25 A400Ms, but is expected to cancel three of them as part of a deal to help absorb cost overruns.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Jon Boyle)

[Le Addeur noir]

Going by British press reports today(23rd July),this airplane is likely to be cancelled as far as the RAF is concerned.

[ehusmann]

What are the chances the RAF gets what they want? Will the politians listen to them?

Erwin

[aviodromefriend]

"It has no provenance, no acceptance and it will enter RAF service with that name over my dead body."

Wouldn't be surprised if that man realy is dead before the type will start to be delivered.

[Stefan]

All I read here:
http://www.airbusmilitary.com/PressRele ... izzly.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is that only the fleet of 5 test a/c is called 'Grizzly'...

Regards,
Stefan

[frank kramer]

ACM Dalton probably hates all other bears (or should I say Bears) as well

[Hurricane]

ACM Dalton probably hates all other bears (or should I say Bears) as well

Probably the bears starting with an Txxxx (and no not the TU-95M Bear )

[Antilliaan]

Finally, there is something like a European transport aircraft flying after years of headaches, and to celebrate this joyful fact they come up with a name which is overtly related to a North American species.....

you would think the marketing boys and girls at Airbus have had more than enough time to come with something more appropriate.

[Hurricane]

Finally, there is something like a European transport aircraft flying after years of headaches, and to celebrate this joyful fact they come up with a name which is overtly related to a North American species.....

you would think the marketing boys and girls at Airbus have had more than enough time to come with something more appropriate.

- Globemaster IV was to obvious

[Hans Rolink]

What's more worrying than the naming wrangle is the time it took to develop a tube with wings and engines on it the only purpose of which is to fly stuff from A to B.
The very similarly sized Short Belfast started development in 1959, flew in 1964, entered RAF serive in 1966 and retired due to cost saving measures in 1976.
A timeframe in which almost the whole A.400M programme up until now with only a handful of prototypes flying fits.
As for names, what about Atlas? It even alliterates: Airbus Atlas.

Hans.

[Polecat]

Atlas...Another Transport Late As Suspected....

[Hans Rolink]

Atlas...Another Transport Late As Suspected....

Well, another good idea snuffed then

Hans.