Airbus Mobile
| Company type | Manufacturing facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Mobile, Alabama , United States |
| Products | Airbus A320neo family, Airbus A220 aircraft assembly |
The Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility functions as an assembly hub for the Commercial Airplanes division of Airbus, situated within the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley in Mobile, Alabama, United States. This plant is responsible for assembling and delivering Airbus commercial aircraft across the United States and ranks among the largest employers in the state. It operates as one of four final assembly and delivery centers for the Airbus A320neo series and one of two for the Airbus A220 model.
History
In June 2005, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Airbus SE’s predecessor, selected Mobile, Alabama as the site for a new manufacturing facility aimed at strengthening its position in U.S. military contracts. The choice was influenced by Mobile’s proximity to a deep-water port on the Gulf of Mexico, extensive industrial space available at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, and access to the uncongested Mobile Downtown Airport. An engineering office was established on location in 2006.
By 2008, EADS formed a partnership with Northrop Grumman to compete for aerial refueling tanker contracts with the United States Air Force. Their plan involved assembling Airbus A330 airframes in Mobile before converting them into KC-45 tankers nearby, with an anticipated investment of around US$600 million into Alabama facilities. Despite this effort, the contract was ultimately awarded to another bidder.
Following this disappointment, Airbus remained committed to establishing manufacturing operations in the U.S. In June 2012, Airbus revealed intentions to build a $600 million production plant at Brookley Aeroplex dedicated to assembling the Airbus A320 family (A319, A320, A321), aiming to create up to 1,000 permanent jobs once fully operational. Construction commenced in 2013, with production scheduled to begin by 2015 and an annual output target of 40–50 aircraft by 2017. The project was officially announced by Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier on July 2, 2012. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on April 8, 2013, and the assembly line opened on September 14, 2015.
Airbus A320
The Mobile facility functions as a final assembly site for the Airbus A320neo family and previously for the original Airbus A320 family, primarily serving North American carriers. The first aircraft assembled in Mobile, an A321 model, was delivered to JetBlue on April 25, 2016.
Key components such as wings and fuselage sections are produced throughout Europe and transported to Saint-Nazaire, France. From there, parts for four airplanes are loaded onto a barge that crosses the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival at the Port of Mobile, these components are trucked to the assembly plant.
As of , the facility is capable of assembling seven A320 family aircraft each month. Airbus intends to introduce a second assembly line at Mobile to increase output capacity to 20 planes per month.
The final A320ceo aircraft assembled at this site was an A321 delivered to Delta Air Lines on December 16, 2021.
Airbus A220
Since August 2019, the Mobile plant has also operated as a final assembly line for Airbus A220 narrow-body jets. The first A220-300 completed in Mobile was delivered to Delta Air Lines in October 2020. Airbus plans to expand production at this location to four A220 units monthly by 2025.
After acquiring a majority stake in the Bombardier CSeries program in October 2017 and rebranding it as the A220, Airbus continued manufacturing at Bombardier’s facilities in Quebec. However, concerns over potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built aircraft led Airbus to establish a second assembly line at its Mobile factory as a strategic move to reduce trade-related risks. In January 2018, the United States International Trade Commission determined that Canadian-made A220s did not pose a threat to U.S. industry competitiveness, thereby preventing tariff enforcement.
See also
- Boeing Renton Factory – A rival production site for narrow-body airplanes located in the United States