LONDON (Reuters) -The head of planemaker Airbus “turned the page” on the planemker’s past opposition to Brexit and pledged to keep wings production in Britain, but said the European aerospace giant hoped to be “better understood” on helicopters and space.
Chief Executive Guillaume Faury was speaking to a London audience of executives at the UK Aviation Club shortly before sources said he met British business minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Airbus declined comment on Faury’s schedule.
A British government source said Truss had joined her business minister’s introductory meeting with Airbus. “It’s all part of this government’s mission to drive investment and opportunity for the country, boost growth and create new and better jobs,” the source said.
Britain is running a competition for the ground element of its Skynet 6 military satallite communications programme, with Airbus looking to fend off U.S. competition to maintain the strategic role it has performed for 20 years under Skynet 5.
Britain also plans to buy up to 44 medium helicopters to replace its fleet of Pumas and other military models, with Airbus’ European rival Leonardo seen as front-runner.
In an increasingly competitive market, Airbus is seen as keen to defend its domestic space role and underscore its lead on civil emergency helicopters in talks with a new government.
Analysts say Leonardo dominates the UK military market where Airbus is touting a military version of its H175.
The Toulouse-based company has its main operations in France, Germany, Britain and Spain – the four countries that founded the planemaker more than 50 years ago.
Faury said Airbus had “turned the page” on its public opposition to Brexit during Britain’s 2016 referendum, which had been inspired by the European scale needed to build planes.
He stressed to the UK audience that Airbus continued to build all its wings in Wales and depended heavily on engine maker Rolls-Royce, adding “we don’t intend to change this”.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
