Airbus 2013 Annual Report Download - page 60

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—INNOVATION
INNOVATION
Airbus Group remains committed to retaining its capacity
to generate breakthrough aerospace technologies.
In the area of new product development, the Group is focusing efforts
on maximising value out of existing platforms.
The capacity to develop breakthrough aerospace technologies
is a key asset for the Group. In 2013, the Group’s self-nanced
research and development (R&D) expenses were stable at
€ 3,160 million (2012: € 3,142 million). Investment in the area
of early-stage research and technology was in line with the
previous year in absolute terms, accounting for close to
a third of the Group’s R&D expenses. In 2013, the Group
capitalised € 354million of development costs for the
Airbus A350 XWB programme.
Development activity within the commercial aircraft business
was driven mainly by the A350 XWB programme, with ight tests
advancing signicantly in 2013. In addition, Airbus pursued its
strategy of bringing incremental improvements to existing
platforms. Development remained well on track on the A320neo.
A lower-weight variant of the A330 was launched for regional and
domestic operations.
Within Airbus Helicopters, development continued on the new
EC175 medium-weight twin-engine helicopter and the EC145T2
light twin upgrade, both of which are due to enter service in 2014.
Development on the new X4 medium-weight helicopter
is also advancing.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TECHNOLOGY
LICENSING
Overall, the Group’s engineers led a total of 990 priority patent
applications in 2013. Recognising the company’s track record at
the forefront of research and technology worldwide, Thomson
Reuters listed the Group among its Top 100 Global Innovators,
while Booz & Co placed it within the top 50.
Airbus Group holds approximately
37,000 patents worldwide.
The Group launched a cyber security initiative in 2013
ANNUAL REVIEW 2013 — BUILDING OUR CULTURE
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