Why are the Germans so down on A400M?
Don't want to sound like a cynic but they might be setting up for another order cut, from 53 to now 40 (13 to be sold to third party) and maybe that is even too many for them, might be preparing for another cut, 25 or something I would guess, this mould certainly give them a somewhat valid reason.
I agree with kbrockman's analysis. I think they are also realising that the aircraft is too large for some of the tasks they want to do with it. I don't want to sound like a cynic either but it would hardly be the first time that a partner nation in a large programme wildly overestimated its requirements in order to secure workshare, before scaling back the order safe in the knowledge that the production facilities were in place...