Germany's order of aircraft is the biggest of the seven nations involved and is crucial for the project to go ahead.

A parliamentary finance committee recommended earlier this month that Germany reduce its order of A400Ms, for a second time, and parliament is expected to rule on that recommendation soon.

"Of course I don't want to prejudice their decision, but things are on track," Schroeder said.

Some 180 A400M military transport planes have been ordered: 60 by Germany, 50 by France, 27 by Spain, 25 by Britain, 10 by Turkey, seven by Belgium and one by Luxembourg.

Berlin had originally wanted 73 aircraft, but it announced in December that it would reduce its order because of budgetary problems.

The A400M, with four turbo-prop engines, is destined to replace aging military transport planes across Europe, including the US Hercules C-130 and the Franco-German Transall C-160.

The project is viewed as a crucial component of efforts by the European Union to strengthen its military capability and coordination. The first aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2008.

Schroeder also said Wednesday he was expecting big things from the giant new Airbus A-380 civilian aircraft, also to be assembled in the northern German city of Hamburg.

He said he was "confident of the success that the A-380 would have on the market. It will set new standards for the international aviation industry."

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