FlightGlobal
• Craig Hoyle
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury says he sees “good hope” for additional A400M tactical airlifter orders through a currently seven-nation NATO initiative to cooperate on combined operations. Airbus officials expect the pooled A400M plan to translate into incremental procurement among participating allies.
Airbus
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Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury says he sees “good hope” for additional A400M tactical airlifter orders through a currently seven-nation NATO initiative to cooperate on combined operations. Airbus officials expect the pooled A400M plan to translate into incremental procurement among participating allies.
MTU Aero Engines CEO Johannes Bussmann cautioned that differing French and German fighter aircraft requirements could put at risk the company’s engine partnership with Safran, following the collapse of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.
Icelandair has signed a lease agreement with Aircastle for six Airbus A320neo aircraft, adding to its next-generation fleet renewal. The deliveries are slated to support summer 2028 operations as the airline accelerates its A320neo expansion through additional leased capacity.
Airbus said it has paid just over £36.4 million to UK revenue and customs authorities to settle a two-year-old investigation into export control violations.
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Airbus reported 351 commercial aircraft delivered in the first half of 2026, up from 306 in H1 2025, alongside a 15% increase in half-year revenues to €23.9 billion. The company reaffirmed its full-year target of 870 aircraft deliveries and guided to €7.5 billion adjusted EBIT and ~€4.5 billion free cash flow, citing stronger commercial output and defense gains.
LifeFlight has ordered four additional Leonardo AW139 helicopters to expand rotary-wing capacity. The UK National Police Air Service (NPAS) ordered two more Airbus H135s, bringing its renewal program to nine aircraft. Separately, The Helicopter Company booked eight additional Airbus H145s, and Davenport Aviation announced a Phoenix Police Department H145 order for enhanced operational readiness.
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General Dynamics beat Q2 2026 forecasts as Gulfstream deliveries rose to 41 and Aerospace revenue climbed 15.1%. Boeing reported a Q2 2026 net loss of $428M (-$0.67/share) on $24.6B revenue, alongside a record $715B order backlog. Airbus more than doubled Q2 profit on stronger commercial deliveries and defense performance, reiterating its full-year outlook as the A350 freighter’s first flight appears pushed to “before year-end” and A400M momentum looks “good.”
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Argus forecasts business aviation and fractional operations to be up in all months in the second half except September, while Airbus reported €2.2 billion H1 2026 net profit on a 12% rise in revenue and 351 commercial aircraft deliveries. In parallel, Frontier pointed to higher fares and easing competition after Spirit’s exit, and Europe’s airline groups warned fuel-price pressure could erode summer gains.
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