Munich - The maiden flight of the much-delayed European military transport plane A400M is being postponed because the engines are still not ready, manufacturer EADS said Thursday from its German offices in Munich.

The propellor plane is intended as Europe's answer to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, but the project at planemaker Airbus has dragged. A prototype has ceremonially rolled out of the hangar but has never flown.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co (EADS), which has its head office in Amsterdam, said plans for a maiden flight by the end of this year had been cancelled. It offered no new date.

France, Germany and Britain will be among principal customers for the plane, which is to have four turbo-prop engines and move troops and military supplies in and out of rough grass and dirt airstrips. Italy has dropped out of the A400M project.

The engines are being designed and supplied by Europrop, a consortium of Rolls-Royce, Snecma, MTU Aero Engines and Industria de Turbo Propulsores. (dpa)