The EADS Board of Directors has given the go ahead for Airbus to launch the industrial programme for the new A350 XWB airliner family. In doing so, the Board has assumed the full implementation of the Power8 competitiveness programme.

The A350 XWB – together with the A330/A340 aircraft family – will meet a market that requires some 5,700 new aircraft being delivered in the next two decades with more than US$ 1,000 bn value.

The programme will give a tremendous boost to the aeronautical activity across Europe and will be a unique opportunity to bring on board new risk sharing partners, fully supporting EADS International strategy.

The A350 XWB is going to be financed predominantly from the company cash flows, with strong contribution from the Power8 programme and from risk sharing partners. The funding requirements going forward will be proactively managed in line with company policy to preserve a strong balance sheet. EADS expects to spread the development costs of the full XWB family over the years 2007 to 2014 with the bulk of spending occurring in 2010-2013.

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