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And pleased to say that joining us now is the Airbus CFO Thomas Hopeford. Tomas, thank you so much for joining us now. As Nina said, we'll get to some of those risks coming up, but we have to start with the earnings here and now some concern there on your deliveries. How far away are we from supply chain snags being resolved in getting anywhere near back to the peak of twenty nineteen.
Well, I would say we're getting close to it. So first of all, I think the good news is we had a delivery target of seven hundred and seventy planes for twenty twenty four.
We got very very close to it with.
Seven hundred and sixty six, So that shows we were able to deliver on what we had promised for twenty twenty four. And you said it, we have a delivery target of around eight hundred twenty planes for twenty five, so that is an uplift of over twenty planes. But more importantly, it's fully in line with the trajectory that
we've given ourselves. Also for the year to come, we want to go to a monthly production rate of seventy five aircraft for our best selling A three twenty model, and we're in on the trajectory to achieve that.
Now to your.
Question, supply chain definitely is still the limiting factor, and that is true for a number of items. Maybe engines is the most prominent one, but it really goes far beyond that. It's also cabin, interior, aerostructures, et cetera, et cetera. And therefore, yes, we're very, very focused to be super close to our Tier one but also Tier two and Tier three suppliers to support them and detect if there's
any issues that we can resolve with them together. And therefore, yes, that is clearly what we're absolutely focused on to make sure that the vamp up is really happening.
Thomas, you delivered about one hundred and fifty aircraft to the US last year. We're wondering, if you're looking at what we're hearing from the White House every day from Donald Trump, what are your thoughts on airbus level of preparation for potential terriffs and also what are the scenarios that you're working with as you're trying to prepare for such an environment.
Yes, I think I think clearly, it's quite difficult to prepare for a concrete scenario. But I think part of the answer is to remind you that we have a production site in Mobile, Alabama. We've got over five thousand people in our US team, and we're extremely proud of that team. So we're delivering out of the United States into the US from our Mobile site, and we're not only producing the A three twenty, but also the A
two twenty at that site. So therefore, I would say the global footprint that we have with a very very strong presence in the United States that we've built over the recent years, is already part of the answer. But it's true, Nina, if you think about teriffs for the industry, it will have a negative impact in our view, because
the entire aerospace industry is a global industry. It has a very global, highly integrated supply chain that is in the phase of ramping up, and therefore tariffs would certainly be on the one hand and negative for the industry, but we also think that in the end it will affect negatively our customers. So ultimately the tariffs, it is the airlines that will have to pay for it, and therefore it would be a double negative in our.
View in terms of level of preparedness.
I think we've done a lot in the past through our footprint and we're waiting for the exact scenario that will then finally play out.
Could you expand the existing facility that you have in the US in order to potentially produce more aircraft here in the US. And has Airbus been in touch with the Trump administration at all?
I think we're looking forward, of course to work with the administration. That question on whether we're expanding really depends on the exact regime that will then be be specified
and decided. As I said, it's a highly complex and integrated supply chain, also with parts coming in from Canada for example in our mobile site, So the effects really go both ways, and the question of whether it makes sense to expand it or in other ways rebalance our production really depends on what finally is decided in terms of the terriff regime.
Tomas, just quickly there. I want to fall up on what Nina said. Have you spoken to the Trump administration you or the rest of the team in trying to work out any sort of exemptions or deals.
No, I think we're not working specifically on exemptions for Airbus. We're absolutely respecting whatever will be taken in terms of decision. We're in contact, but quite frankly, I think it's really the US administration who has to come to a decision, but clearly making our point that in our view it's not about Airbus only, but the entire industry would not be positively affected through terraffs TAMAS.
The other thing this industry has to contend with, and you, especially sitting in the heart of Europe, is what it means for this new world of European defense, one in which Donald Trump calls Voladimir Zelensky a dictator and Europe feels more on its own when it comes to defense. I know you've had had some snams when it comes to some of your military aircrafts, but do you see more demand? Will your defense business be growing in Europe as a result of this geopolitical moment?
I think the clear answer is yes.
If you look at the order intake in our defense business, we have had a record order intake in twenty twenty four with sixteen point eight billion, and it's actually the second year in a row that we have a record in terms of order intake, So it shows that we're well positioned with our products with a eurofighter in our military air business, but also with our satellites and other
military devices that we produce. So therefore we stand ready to step up in what I think is a clear need for Europe to be more self sustained in a sovereign ability and therefore Airbus clearly is prepared.
To help here.
And we're also seeing good science in terms of the order intake that we had in twenty twenty four.
Thomas, you're a German working at a large European company that has a US competitor.
What's your outlook for.
The European economy and also for Germany where we'll have elections this Sunday.
Well, I think it would clearly be helpful for Europe as a whole if we will have more stability. I think that's true for Germany, where I think it is about time that we have clarity about who will be the new government, but also more stability in other countries in Europe would certainly be helpful. I think we as an industry are ready to support many of the proposals.
That have been made.
I refer, for example, to the Dragon report, which has a special chapter not only in defense but also on space, calling for more consolidation not only on the supply side in Europe but also on the demand side. So I would say the proposals also from that perspective around the table, we clearly support it and it would be good if now there is also the political will and power to put some of these things now into practice.
Jama's just quickly here and look, we've been hinting at it, but it feels like a moment of step change for Europe, especially with transatlantic relationships, both from an economic point of view with tariffs and geopolitical you having been at the helm of industry in Europe for some time now, is Erope prepared for this moment?
Well, I think it's hard to say whether it is prepared. I think Europe has the ingredients that it needs, both from an industrial site, but also of course from the let's say, the GDP power that we have in order to step up. What I think it takes is a political will and the ability to now implement those steps.
To your question, is it prepared, I think it is fair to.
Say that what happened in the recent past is a clear wake up call, and I'm hopeful that Europe will act on that call. The level of preparedness I think could probably be better, but I do see promising signs that Europe is taking up the challenge.
Tomas, thank you so much, time, so much for spending your time with us this morning. We really appreciate it. That is the Airbus CFO to us Hofer and Bloomberg's Nina Trentman