Airbus Military has been awarded a contract to design and manufacture nacelle covers for the engines of the new Airbus A320neo.

The contract, which was signed with the Aircelle company (Safran group) in Paris, is based on the version powered by CFM International's LEAP engines.

It is estimated that approximately 2,000 units of this version will be produced by the year 2025.

This contract, which could be worth up to US$ 500 million, will keep the Spanish factories very busy with activities which will be ongoing for at least twelve years.

The nacelle covers are made of carbon fiber, a material in which the Spanish factories specialize.

Launched towards the end of 2010, the A320neo is the latest addition to the Airbus family.

The A319, A320 and A321 models will be equipped either with CFM International's LEAP engine or Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1100G engine.

When combined with Sharklets, these new models afford fuel savings of up to 15 percent, equivalent to an annual reduction of 3,600 metric tons of CO2 per aircraft.

Compared to the earlier generation of single-aisle planes, fuel savings can reach the 30 percent mark. Since the launch of the new model, orders have been placed for almost 1,200 aircraft in the A320neo family (including orders actually signed and orders which have yet to be signed).