In a discreet forest clearing on a plateau above the town of Vernon in Normandy, France, workers adjust a steel cylinder held under giant red claws - part of a reusable rocket that Europe hopes will slow the meteoric rise of Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Airbus announced just over 2,000 job cuts in Defence and Space, or about 5% of its second-largest division, as it reels from U.S. competition in the satellites sector but the cuts were not as severe as the European group had first warned.
The fall of the French government has created political and economic uncertainty that can sap investor confidence, the head of partially state-owned Safran said on Thursday.
Aerospace companies urged European governments to bolster the autonomy of their defence and space industries and take a clear position on trade as the sector braces for the arrival of a second Trump administration in the United States.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Tuesday voiced increasing confidence over engine supplies that have been hampering jet deliveries, telling Reuters that CFM International should be able to supply enough units but it would be "very tight".
The head of European planemaker Airbus said talks to finalise the takeover of part of troubled U.S. aerostructures supplier Spirit Aerosystems were going smoothly but that bringing it into Airbus would "not be a walk in the park".
Defence and technology firm Thales unveiled new four-year targets on Thursday, predicting more than 25 billion euros ($26.34 billion) of revenues by 2028 as it reaps a decade of cyber investments.
Spirit AeroSystems and Boeing are close to reaching a funding agreement that would give a cash lifeline to the struggling Boeing supplier, an industry source familiar with the matter said.
Taiwan's China Airlines is nearing a decision to split a multi-billion-dollar order for long-distance passenger jets between Airbus and Boeing, while an order for freighters hangs in the balance, industry sources told Reuters.
Ending the strike only stemmed the bleeding at Boeing. Now, CEO Kelly Ortberg, just three months into the job, is faced with repairing a divided, demoralized, and drifting American corporate icon.
Europe's Airbus kickstarted a surprise leadership transition in its biggest business on Wednesday, with the chief of German engine-maker MTU Aero Engines tapped to replace Christian Scherer as head of planemaking from 2026.