Airbus predicts two-year wait for helicopter market recovery
Airbus will equip the H160M with weapons including the MBDA Sea Venom antiship missile. (Photo: Airbus)
Following a surge in helicopter orders for 2021 compared to 2020, Airbus thinks it will take two to three years before sales return to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, has said it could take several years before the helicopter market recovers from the impact of COVID-19.
The manufacturer announced on 26 January 2022 that it secured 419 gross orders for civil and military helicopters in 2021, up from 289 aircraft ordered in 2020 – a strong performance in light of international economic uncertainty.
‘Worldwide bookings are still not at the level of 2019 and we think it will take another two to three years before we recover from levels seen before the [COVID-19] crisis, but the trend [of growth] is there,’ said Even during
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months]()
US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months
The US Air Force is preparing to select mission-autonomy software, fire a missile from the FQ-42 Vengeance and test both CCA designs alongside crewed fighters at 2026 Emerald Flag.
-
![Will the US Navy F/A-XX and the USAF F-47 compete for production capacities?]()
Will the US Navy F/A-XX and the USAF F-47 compete for production capacities?
The two sixth-generation fighter programmes could battle for engineering talent and production lines before deliveries begin, testing Boeing’s industrial expansion plans.
-
![September drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the Reaper]()
September drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the Reaper
The loss of many MQ-9 Reapers during the 2026 Iran War has underscored the risks of sending relatively expensive UAVs into contested airspace. In September, new contenders to replace the Reaper emerged, championing cheaper, modular aircraft designs for mass production and inevitable attrition.
-
![E-3 Sentry encryption equipment no longer meets US security requirements, says USAF]()
E-3 Sentry encryption equipment no longer meets US security requirements, says USAF
The US Air Force says the Sentry fleet’s DAR-400 encryptor can no longer keep pace with changing security requirements and warns that a failure could affect US operations and data security.
