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Airbus and MTU Aero Engines Sign MoU to Advance Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for Aviation

Airbus has today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with MTU Aero Engines to progress on hydrogen fuel cell engine production, a promising technology to help decarbonise aviation.


Left to Right: Dr. Stefan Weber, SVP Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines; Marie-Eve Rigollet, Head of Propulsion System Procurement at Airbus; Claudia Gaab, SVP Corporate Development and Strategy at MTU Aero Engines; Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus – Courtesy MTU Aero Engines
Left to Right: Dr. Stefan Weber, SVP Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines; Marie-Eve Rigollet, Head of Propulsion System Procurement at Airbus; Claudia Gaab, SVP Corporate Development and Strategy at MTU Aero Engines; Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus – Courtesy MTU Aero Engines

On Wednesday (June 18, 2025), from the Paris Air Show 2025, Airbus announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MTU Aero Engines, setting up a collaboration to advance hydrogen fuel cell propulsion, a critical and promising technology for the decarbonization of aviation. The MoU was signed today during the 55th Paris Airshow by Bruno Fichefeux, Airbus’ Head of Future Programmes, and Dr. Stefan Weber, MTU’s SVP of Engineering and Technology.


In Wednesday’s announcement, Airbus’ Head of Future Programmes, Bruno Fichefeux, said,


“Our focus on fully electric fuel cell propulsion technology for future hydrogen-powered aircraft underscores our confidence and progress in this domain.  Collaborating with MTU, a leader in engine manufacturing and innovation, is a perfect complement to our own advancements.  This partnership will allow us to pool our collective knowledge, accelerate the maturation of critical technologies, and ultimately deliver a revolutionary hydrogen-powered propulsion system for future commercial aircraft.  Together, we are not just imagining a sustainable future of flight, we are actively pioneering it.”


Also commenting on the hydrogen fuel cell engine collaboration, MTU Aero Engines’ SVP – Engineering and Technology, Dr. Stefan Weber, said,


“As a globally recognised engine expert, we are driven by the vision of a revolutionary propulsion concept that allows virtually emissions-free flight.  Today, we are at the centre of a wide-ranging eco-system of partners aiming to achieve the complete electrification of the powertrain by using fuel cell technology.  Partnering with Airbus opens up the possibility to jointly address both technology maturity and platform integration aspects.  Our joint efforts in the years to come are the first step in paving the way for a potential product development in the future.”


The new partnership draws on the combined expertise of Airbus, a pioneer in hydrogen-powered aviation through their ZEROe project, and MUT Aero Engines, a globally recognized expert for commercial and military aircraft engines.  This collaboration follows Airbus’ decision to focus their research on a fully-electric, hydrogen-powered aircraft with a fuel cell engine, a field in which MTU has developed expertise via their Flying Fuel Cell concept. 


Today’s agreement establishes a three-step roadmap for the development of a hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine for the commercial aviation market.  The first step involves the maturation of the technological building blocks required for the engine through joint research projects.  Step two will involve aligning the partners’ R&T roadmaps on hydrogen technologies.  Finally, the result of these joint explorations will allow the companies to consider the third step – the development of a fuel-cell engine for a hydrogen powered aircraft.


MTU Aero Engines AG is a globally recognized expert in commercial and military aircraft engines.  The company’s high-tech expertise ranges from the development and production of high-quality components to the final assembly of complete engines, and the maintenance of aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines.  In the financial year 2024, the DAX-listed company generated revenues of  €7.5 billion.  MTU technology can be found providing reliable thrust in one in three commercial aircraft worldwide.  Every year, MTU maintains approximately 1,500 engines and industrial gas turbines.  MTU operates 19 locations on five continents, employing over 13,000 team members from more than 80 nations. 



Source: Airbus

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