Airbus also reported improved performance at its Helicopters division, although it did not disclose detailed military figures. The company separately updated the public status of its main defence aircraft programmes as of 30 June.
Cumulative sales of the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport reached 91 aircraft, bringing the programme closer to the 100-aircraft threshold. The total included six aircraft booked for a single customer whose identity was not disclosed.
Available information suggests the six-aircraft order may be linked to Italy, although Airbus has not confirmed the customer. British media have reported that Italy could acquire civil-market A330s for conversion rather than newly built tanker aircraft.
The origin of those potential conversion platforms has not been disclosed. Under that scenario, Poland could remain in contention to become the first European operator of newly built A330 MRTT+ aircraft.
Airbus reached another MRTT milestone in early July when the first A330neo intended for conversion to the MRTT+ standard left the final assembly line in Toulouse. The aircraft will undergo conversion before entering service with Thailand.
The MRTT+ configuration is based on the A330neo platform and represents the next stage of Airbus’s tanker programme. Thailand is set to become the first customer to receive an aircraft converted to the new standard.
Airbus had sold 335 C295 transport and special-mission aircraft by the end of June. Of that total, 244 aircraft had been delivered to customers.
Deliveries of the A400M military transport aircraft reached 140 units. The company also reported cumulative deliveries of 618 Eurofighter multirole combat aircraft.
The programme figures show continued activity across Airbus’s tanker, transport and combat-aircraft businesses. They accompanied a sharp year-on-year increase in revenue at the group’s Defence and Space division.
