Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted

Airbus to cut 2,000 jobs in defense, space amid satellite losses

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 Dec 2024 23:54
2 Min Read

The job cuts aim to address significant losses in the satellite sector due to mounting competition from low-cost providers like Elon Musk's Starlink.

Listen
  • x
  • In this May 6, 2016 file photo, the logo of the Airbus Group is pictured in Suresnes, outside Paris. (AP)
    In this May 6, 2016 file photo, the logo of the Airbus Group is pictured in Suresnes, outside Paris. (AP)

Airbus, Europe's largest aerospace group, has announced plans to cut 2,043 jobs from its Defense and Space division, representing approximately 5% of the workforce in its second-largest unit.

The job cuts, confirmed on Wednesday, aim to address significant losses in the satellite sector due to mounting competition from low-cost providers like Elon Musk's Starlink.

More than half of the reductions, or 1,128 positions, will affect the Space Systems business, which has faced a €1.5 billion writedown linked to its troubled OneSat project.

Additional cuts include 250 positions in the Air Power division, 47 in Connected Intelligence, and 618 at the divisional headquarters.

Despite the scale of the layoffs, Airbus has pledged there will be no compulsory redundancies, with implementation expected by mid-2026.

Proton Restructure

Related News

Volkswagen CEO signals major change ahead for the company

Unilever to slash 3,200 EU jobs by end of next year

Airbus, which builds satellites and military transporters, and plays a key role in European missile and space-launch programs, has been hit hard by the rise of cheaper, smaller satellites deployed in low Earth orbit, a sector dominated by Starlink.

The cuts are part of a broader restructuring plan called Proton, targeting overheads and fixed costs primarily through reductions in white-collar and management positions.

Read more: China's homegrown airliner makes its first international flight

The job losses will be distributed across Airbus' core nations, with Germany bearing the largest share (689 positions), followed by France (540), Britain (477), Spain (303), and other non-core nations (34).

Governments in these countries, which co-founded Airbus over 50 years ago and hold stakes in the company, have been briefed on the changes.

Satellite Shakeup

Separately, Airbus is also pursuing "Project Bromo," a proposed European satellite consortium involving Thales and Leonardo, to create a stronger competitor to Starlink.

Together, these efforts represent a dual strategy to address the challenges facing Europe's space sector.

While the cuts represent a smaller reduction than initially feared—down from an October estimate of 2,500 positions—the changes are likely to draw close attention from Airbus' unions and national governments due to their potential impact on the workforce and the broader aerospace industry.

Read more: Boeing forecasts number of planes in air to double by 2042

  • job cuts
  • aerospace
  • Airbus
  • Starlink
  • Space Systems
  • Satellite Industry

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS