Airbus eyes growth potential in military and space businesses in Vietnam

At a press briefing on December 7, Airbus executives underlined that Vietnam is a key market for the company. It has grown to become a supplier of choice for its commercial aircraft, defence equipment, helicopters, and space products.

Airbus executives at the press briefing on December 7

Johan Pelissier, head of Airbus Defence and Space for Asia-Pacific told VIR, “I see big potential for Vietnam because the country is going to require the modernisation of its fleet. This is where I see huge potential for the C295.”

Vietnam today deploys a fleet of the popular C295 multirole aircraft for various transport missions within the air force and a fleet of C212 aircraft in different configurations for military services.

Beyond the commercial aircraft sector, Airbus has a total of 20 rotorcraft and military transports in service that are used for missions including transportation, utilities, oil and gas, and military operations.

Spotlighting helicopters, Fabrice Rochereau, head officer for Marketing and Sales APAC at Airbus Helicopters, said Airbus is a leader in the Vietnamese oil and gas segment, where it holds 50 per cent of the country’s helicopter in-service fleet including the multi-role H225 that is critical in offshore operations and transportation.

Beyond oil and gas, Airbus helicopters are also used extensively for military missions and VIP transportation.

“Looking at the mid to long term, the company sees Vietnam’s military helicopter demand led by fleet modernisation and renewal for search and rescue, law enforcement, maritime security, and utilities. Along with this, the oil and gas segment will continue to drive civil helicopter growth. We aim to further increase the market share of military helicopters in Vietnam from the current 12 per cent and we are working with technology development teams on solutions to meet the demands of the market,” he added.

Airbus has H145M and H225M for the military segment, while the H175s are perfectly suited for oil and gas and public services.

Beyond aircraft assets, the company underscored its successful track record supporting Vietnam’s space endeavours. Airbus developed, manufactured, and launched the VNREDSat-1 – the country’s first Earth observation satellite – into orbit in 2013, which marked the nation's first independent entry into space. It is still operating today, well beyond its contracted life expectancy.

Riding on the success of the VNREDSat-1, Airbus is working closely with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to define the specifications for VNREDSat-2, which includes a transfer of technology programme.

Airbus is reiterating its long-standing partnerships in Vietnam. Besides an expanded country office, the company has established a strong supplier ecosystem where local partners such as Artus (Meggitt) Vietnam and Nikkiso Vietnam play an integral role in aircraft equipment supply and parts manufacturing.

This week, Airbus is attending the Vietnam Defence Expo from December 8-10, seeking opportunities to expand its presence in the local market.

Tri-Mai Hoang, Airbus chief representative for Vietnam noted, “Vietnam is a key partner to Airbus, with whom we share the same vision for the future of aerospace development. We are fully dedicated to strengthening our local partnerships in support of the growing aerospace sector.”

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