Ericsson unveiled plans for private 5G deployments in Airbus’ manufacturing sites in the US, UK and Spain, adding to projects in Germany and France.

The Swedish vendor’s private 5G kit is already being used in an Airbus factory in Hamburg, Germany, with an installation in Toulouse, France scheduled for completion in 2026.

Use of the infrastructure is expected to support 3D simulation, augmented reality, improved traceability for parts and predictive maintenance.

The deployments form part of a wider digital drive by the aeronautics and space player intended to increase automation and operational efficiency at production facilities.

Ericsson noted its technology is the “backbone” of Airbus’ strategic transformation projects, supporting “high-value industrial use cases” including IoT integration, management of critical equipment, real-time quality control and collaborative robotics.

Airbus 5G expert Hakim Achouri said the company’s objective is to “migrate all our industrial networks towards 5G to ensure unified, ultra-reliable connectivity from the operator’s workstation to the aircraft cabin”.

“The standardisation and scalability made possible by this architecture allow us to replicate the solution easily across further sites in Europe and worldwide.” 

Alongside working together on private 5G, the pair are partnering on various other R&D projects including connected cabins, 6G and non-terrestrial networks.