For fiscal year 2024, Airbus Defense and Space reported revenues of €12.1 billion ($14.2 billion), reflecting a 5% increase from the previous year. The first half of 2025 saw an even larger gain with a 17% rise in revenue over the same period last year. This growth was driven mainly by the Air Power division that includes tactical and strategic airlifters, aerial tankers, and combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, A400M Atlas, C295, CN235, and A330 MRTT.
Despite these positive results in certain areas, Airbus faced challenges in its satellite business because of delays in its OneSat program. These setbacks led to charges totaling €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2024 and €600 million ($704 million) in 2023. As a result, Airbus initiated a restructuring process within its space division this year.
Airbus does not offer as wide a range of military aircraft compared to some competitors but has achieved success by focusing on transports and tankers—categories that consistently attract demand worldwide—and through partnerships such as with the Eurofighter Typhoon program.
The C295 medium transport has been one of Airbus’ most successful models with over 230 units delivered globally. The A400M Atlas was developed to compete with established platforms like Lockheed's C-130 Hercules and Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III but experienced delays entering service by nearly ten years along with cost overruns exceeding $30 billion.
Another notable product is the A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), based on the A330-200 commercial airframe. Since entering service in 2011 with countries including Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, more than 60 units have been delivered out of over 80 sold worldwide. The aircraft now holds over a 90% share of non-US markets for similar refueling platforms.
Beyond manufacturing aircraft, Airbus provides comprehensive support services that cover maintenance repair operations (MRO), spare parts management, crew training programs at ten global centers across five continents, technical assistance, software upgrades, material services support engineering throughout each product’s lifecycle.
As stated by Airbus:
"Airbus offers an extended portfolio of services to ensure that customers can fulfil their missions under the most demanding conditions. The portfolio includes flight and ground crew training, maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions; aircraft systems upgrades; material services; support engineering."
Versatility is central to many Airbus military products—such as using platforms like the A330 MRTT for multiple roles including refueling or medevac—and technological innovation features prominently across their lineup; for example:
- The A400M was first among large military planes to use fly-by-wire technology.
- The A330 MRTT introduced automatic air-to-air refueling boom systems.
Significant changes were announced at the end of 2024 when more than half of planned job reductions affected employees within Space Systems—a reduction from an earlier target but still impacting about five percent of total staff at Airbus Defense & Space overall.
These moves are aimed at managing rising costs linked partly to supply chain disruptions while responding proactively following substantial financial losses connected mostly with satellite project delays during both 2023 and early 2024.
From July 1st ,2025 onward three main businesses—Air Power; Connected Intelligence; Space Systems—have been streamlined “to provide stronger end-to-end accountability.” Management hopes voluntary departures will minimize compulsory layoffs during this ongoing operational restructuring process.
Looking ahead:
- The upcoming A330 MRTT+ will use newer components including Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines alongside aerodynamic enhancements expected to cut fuel burn by eight percent while extending range.
- In partnership with Dassault Aviation (France) & Leonardo (Italy), work continues on Eurodrone—a remotely piloted platform designed initially for intelligence gathering yet capable eventually carrying munitions.
- As co-leader on Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS)—a sixth-generation fighter program modeled similarly after US Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD)—Airbus plans integration between manned jets & unmanned “loyal wingmen” drones via sophisticated networked combat cloud technologies ahead mid-2030s introduction.
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