Airbus expands Belfast A220 wing plant to support production ramp-up

Airbus has launched a major expansion of its Belfast wing factory as it prepares for a significant increase in A220 production over the next two years,

The 6,221 sq m extension is part of a wider multi-million-pound investment in the Northern Ireland site, which is the sole global source of wings for the A220 family.

Construction is expected to be completed during the first half of 2028, aligning the investment closely with Airbus’s target of reaching an A220 production rate of 13 aircraft per month that year.

The investment is also significant for Belfast’s aerospace sector following Airbus’s takeover of the A220 wing operation formerly owned by Spirit AeroSystems.

According to Airbus’s announcement, the extension will increase both the manufacturing footprint and the plant’s advanced composite capabilities.

Airbus adds third autoclave for A220 wing production

A key part of the expansion is a third autoclave, which will be installed alongside new specialised wing tooling and cranage.

Autoclaves are large pressure vessels used to cure composite structures under controlled heat and pressure. They are an important part of producing the A220’s lightweight composite wing.

Belfast pioneered the patented Resin Transfer Infusion manufacturing process used for the A220 wing. Airbus says the resulting composite structure is around 10% lighter than an equivalent conventional aluminium structure, helping reduce aircraft weight, fuel consumption and emissions.

The company is also investing beyond the production building. Planned improvements include new high-voltage electrical substations, a new office block and security entrance, new IT systems and an expanded car park with 650 spaces.

“Enhancing our wing facilities is a direct investment in the future of A220 wing production here in Belfast, building the capacity required to meet the growing demand for this aircraft,” said Anthony Rouse, Head of Airbus Belfast Plant and Site.

Airbus will also take on 40 new apprentices at the Belfast operation in September.

“This commitment is also reflected in our ongoing skills development, including bringing on board 40 new apprentices who will start in September this year,” Rouse said. “It’s an exciting time for aviation in Northern Ireland and for the next generation of aerospace talent.”

Belfast is critical to the A220 production ramp-up

The investment comes as Airbus works to increase A220 output following several years of supply-chain and industrial challenges.

Airbus currently builds the aircraft at Mirabel in Canada and Mobile, Alabama, but every A220 depends on wings produced in Belfast. That makes increasing capacity at the Northern Ireland plant an essential part of raising output across the programme.

Airbus confirmed with its first-half 2026 results that the A220 ramp-up remains underway and that it continues to target 13 aircraft per month in 2028. The manufacturer delivered 44 A220s during the first six months of 2026.

The 13-per-month target represents a change from Airbus’s earlier ambition to reach 14 aircraft per month in 2026.

At its 2026 annual press conference, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the revised trajectory reflected both the integration of former Spirit AeroSystems work packages and the balance between supply and demand.

“We were initially targeting 14. Now we say 13 for 2028,” Faury said.

He explained that in the short term Airbus was still “navigating the difficulties of the ramp-up on Spirit and on the work packages coming from Spirit, namely the wings.”

That makes the Belfast expansion more than simply a capacity increase. It addresses one of the industrial areas Airbus has specifically identified as important to stabilising and expanding A220 production.

Airbus strengthens its position in Belfast after Spirit takeover

The investment also marks a new chapter for one of Northern Ireland’s most important aerospace manufacturing sites.

The Belfast operation had been part of Spirit AeroSystems before Airbus took control of work packages associated with its aircraft programmes as part of Spirit’s wider breakup.

Bringing the wing operation under Airbus gave the aircraft manufacturer more direct control over one of the A220’s most strategically important components.

The new extension shows Airbus is now investing in additional capacity rather than simply integrating the former Spirit operation.

Recent production milestones have also highlighted Belfast’s importance to the programme. As previously reported by Advance, the plant produced its 500th A220-300 wingset in July.

Why Airbus needs more A220 production capacity

Increasing output is particularly important for the economics of the A220 programme.

Airbus inherited the aircraft when it took control of Bombardier’s C Series programme in 2018. The aircraft has since built a substantial customer base, but increasing production and lowering unit manufacturing costs have remained priorities.

Airbus delivered 93 A220s in 2025. With its targeted rate of 13 per month, annual production would rise to 156 aircraft. Actual deliveries will depend on ramp-up timing and supply chain performance.

Faury has said Airbus believes the 13-aircraft-per-month rate would help “position the product at the right place when it comes to the price” and balance demand to bolster the programme’s profitability.

For Belfast, reaching that target means substantially increasing the number of wings leaving the factory.

The new manufacturing space, third autoclave and supporting infrastructure will provide growth capacity and cement Northern Ireland’s role at the centre of Airbus’s smallest commercial aircraft programme.