Airbus Military exceeded its annual orders target during 2012, with its 32-aircraft total having been dominated by bumper sales of the C295 medium transport.
Detailed in an Airbus results announcement on 17 January, the company's military sales last year comprised 28 C295s and four smaller CN235s. Orders received from nations including Cameroon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Oman and Poland were made "despite difficult global conditions", it says.
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Airbus Military Airbus Military's current orders backlog includes 174 A400Ms and 20 C295s |
Deliveries during the calendar year comprised 20 aircraft in the light and medium transport category, which spans the C212, CN235 and C295, plus five A330 multirole tanker transports (MRTT) and four upgraded Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. The company is modernising the Brazilian air force's fleet of the latter type to the AM-standard.
Airbus Military has, meanwhile, also made a strong business start to 2013, having so far announced the receipt of contracts to produce a combined seven C295s for Colombia and Egypt, while two have already been delivered to the Kazakhstan air force. The company's A330 MRTT also has been formally selected to meet an Indian air force requirement for six tankers, with a contract signature expected later in the year.
The first series production example of the A400M Atlas is also on track for delivery to launch operator the French air force during the second quarter of 2013, with the service and Turkey to receive a further three of the transports before year-end. Another 13 are already in various stages of production, Airbus says.
Airbus says its military unit's orders backlog totals 220 aircraft: 174 A400Ms; 20 C295s; 17 A330 MRTTs; five CN235s; and four more upgraded P-3s.
Source: Flight International
