Airbus sees first A400M delivery in 2012 -papers

PARIS, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Airbus (EAD.PA) will not deliver its first A400M military transport aircraft before the end of 2012, and the delays are exacerbating tensions within the European aircraft maker's management, newspapers reported on Tuesday.

Le Figaro said on Tuesday that delays could cost Airbus an overall 5 billion euros ($6.45 billion), citing people "with a very good knowledge" of the situation.

Citing a note it said Airbus Military sent to European arms buying organisation OCCAR, it said the Toulouse-based aircraft maker was planning a test flight for the A400M in 2010.

"According to this confidential note, the test flight is planned for the start of 2010 and a first delivery at the end of 2010. A second delivery is guaranteed by the end of 2013.

"It's only in 2014 that Airbus will be capable of supplying several planes to client armies," the newspaper said, adding the note would be used for compensation talks between Airbus and its clients.

No one at Airbus, a unit of European aerospace group EADS, was immediately available to comment.

EADS faces steep penalties over A400M delays now stretching beyond three years. It has begun talks with seven European NATO governments to review the penalties and other terms in return for firm pledges on deliveries.

The size of the exposure is not known but EADS has already taken charges of 1.7 billion euros and analysts say it faces a potential deficit of billions more -- threatening a repeat of financial strains caused by the delays in the A380 superjumbo.

The delays have exacerbated tensions between Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders and Carlos Suarez, the head of Airbus Military, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

"Relations between the two are at a fresh low after a fierce clash last week," the FT said, citing people familiar with the situation. "The dispute potentially poses yet another political problem for EADS," which has been riven by battles between its leading French and German shareholders, the FT added.

Madrid holds 5.5 percent of EADS.

(Reporting by Marie Maitre; Editing by Rupert Winchester)