Airbus Helicopters reported that it logged 410 gross orders (net: 393) in 2023 from 179 customers across 47 countries. The company stated that it delivered 346 helicopters in 2023, which resulted in a preliminary 54% share of the civil and parapublic market.
“Airbus Helicopters’ order intake in 2023, with an increase bordering 10% in units in comparison to 2022, highlights its stable growth despite the ongoing global context of inflation and geopolitical instability,” Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even said.
Last year saw the first flight of the DisruptiveLab demonstrator featuring a new aerodynamic architecture aimed at reducing fuel consumption and the first flight of the NH90 Sea Tiger, the state-of-the-art anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the German Navy. Airbus Helicopters also delivered their first H135 helicopters to the Spanish Navy.
Other developments include the German armed forces signing the largest H145M contract with up to 82 light attack helicopters, the H175M successfully performing flight demonstrations in the extreme hot and high conditions of the desert in Saudi Arabia and the VSR700 demonstrating its performance during sea trials from a French Navy multi-mission frigate.
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Airbus Helicopters also expanded its UAS portfolio with the acquisition of Aerovel, which will allow the company to offer our customers additional mission capabilities with manned-unmanned teaming.
Global support contracts and the HCare offering continued to prove popular in 2023 both with civil and military customers;140 new helicopters were covered by “by-the-hour” contracts bringing the total to 2760 helicopters.
On the sustainability and innovation side, Airbus Helicopters’ FlightLab successfully tested an electric flight control system that allowed for a single pilot stick to replace all three conventional pilot controls. Following these successful FBW flight trials, Airbus Helicopters, in partnership with Airbus UpNext, was able to test advanced autonomous features in order to simplify mission preparation and management, reduce helicopter pilot workload and further increase safety.
“We unveiled the PioneerLab with the aim of testing hybridization for twin-engine aircraft as well as introducing bio-based materials," Even said. "We also started assembling CityAirbus NextGen in Donauwörth and wrapped up the year by performing the power-on. We also ramped up the use of SAF for our own development test flights, training, deliveries and ferry flights in Marignane and Donauwörth to 10% and we will continue to roll this out to our other sites in 2024."
Airbus’ 2023 full year financial results will be disclosed on 15 February 2024.
