Airbus plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs in its Defence and Space division by mid-2026, following significant losses in its satellite business.
The job cuts, representing 7 percent of the division’s workforce, are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to address €1.5 billion in recent charges related to its high-tech OneSat satellite project and delays in other defense initiatives.
The European aerospace giant, which builds satellites, transporters, and has stakes in European missile, fighter, and space-launch programs, has faced escalating costs and delays in its space systems sector. Airbus CEO Mike Schoellhorn noted the company’s need to become “faster, leaner, and more competitive” in response to challenges in the increasingly difficult space market.
These job cuts follow a year-long efficiency review of the division, known internally as the ATOM program. Airbus plans to engage in discussions with unions and governments in its core markets —France, Germany, Britain, and Spain — before finalizing the restructuring plans. The company has not yet taken an immediate restructuring charge but has informed the host nations of the forthcoming changes.
Airbus is also working on turnaround strategies for its struggling Space Systems unit, despite ongoing satellite consolidation talks involving Italy’s Leonardo and France’s Thales. The cuts are expected to affect the company’s defense headquarters in Germany, but the specifics will be determined through negotiations over the coming months.
