Airbus Reaffirms Industrial Collaboration With Malaysian Aerospace Sector

AIRBUS reaffirmed Malaysia’s importance as a key market for its commercial aircraft, defence and space businesses, underscoring its long-term commitment to supporting the country’s aerospace sector through strong industrial collaboration.

Participating in the New Defence Industry Policy Launch exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Airbus Defence and Space Head of Asia-Pacific Zakir Hamid, highlighted Airbus’ extensive industrial partnerships in Malaysia, which continue to deliver significant economic and capability benefits to the country.

“While we have extensive collaborations with Malaysian industry on our commercial aircraft programmes, we have equally strong partnerships in the defence sector. These include the deepening of the local defence eco-system to accelerate technology and knowledge transfer, the expansion of industrial self-reliance and the strengthening of Malaysia’s strategic defence capabilities. What makes this partnership unique is the breadth of collaboration — spanning fleet modernisation, defence cooperation, local industrial participation and skills development,” Zakir said.

An Airbus release read, “As a strategic partner to Malaysia and a key contributor to local industrialisation, Airbus remains committed to further growing its industrial footprint, particularly through the Industrial Collaboration Programme in the defence and space sectors.”

Malaysia is Airbus’ largest supplier base in Southeast Asia, with the company procuring an estimated US$370 million worth of commodities annually and supporting approximately 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. Key suppliers include CTRM, UPECA and SME Aerospace, which manufacture components for Airbus’ entire civil aircraft range, as well as the A400M military airlifter and the H130 helicopter. Today, parts ‘Made in Malaysia’ are flying on nearly every Airbus aircraft in production.

More than 300 Airbus commercial aircraft are currently in service with Malaysian airlines, with close to 400 additional aircraft on order. AirAsia is a major operator of the A320 Family and A330, while Malaysia Airlines operates an all-Airbus widebody fleet, including the recently delivered A330neo and A350 Long Range Leader.

A cornerstone of Airbus Defence and Space’s partnership with Malaysia is the A400M programme, where Malaysia was the world’s first export customer. In 2025, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) marked 10 years of A400M operations — a milestone reflecting the aircraft’s reliability and versatility. With over 14,000 flight hours, the RMAF is currently the most active A400M operator globally, responsible for countless humanitarian and logistics operations over the years. In August 2024, two RMAF A400Ms airlifted 127 Palestinian patients and relatives from Egypt’s Al Maza Air Base to Subang Air Base.

In the space domain, Airbus has delivered the MEASAT-3b and MEASAT-3d satellites, supporting MEASAT’s operations across Malaysia, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. For maritime surveillance and security, Airbus has maintained a 100% market share in Malaysia with its STYRIS® coastal surveillance solution, securing critical areas along the Straits of Malacca and in East Malaysia for over 15 years.

Airbus Helicopters provides training and customer support from its Subang facility, which houses a state-of-the-art simulation centre for H225/H225M and Dauphin pilot and technical training. A new H175 flight simulator will be added soon to further strengthen regional MRO and training capabilities. Subang also serves as Airbus Helicopters’ regional delivery centre and, through a joint venture with Boustead, offers MRO services.

Nearly 90 Airbus civil and military helicopters are currently in service in Malaysia, including the H225M with the RMAF, the AS355 with the Royal Malaysian Police, and the AS555SN Fennec operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). 12 H225M helicopters have been serving the RMAF since 2012, a combat-proven multi-role platform that has participated in various exercises and humanitarian missions, including flood rescue and lifesaving operations.

In services, Sepang-based SAE provides MRO solutions for single-aisle aircraft, while Airbus Customer Services teams in Sepang and Putrajaya deliver specialised aircraft engineering and repair support across the region.

Airbus is also expanding its research and technology footprint in Malaysia through the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC), an industrial research institute co-led by Airbus. AMIC undertakes collaborative R&T projects with industry and universities, providing a clear pathway from research to market.

“We are proud of the mutually beneficial partnerships we have built in Malaysia and look forward to further expanding our presence while supporting the continued growth of Malaysia’s aerospace ecosystem,” Zakir added.