AEROSPACE: EADS creates 9000 jobs as Airbus celebrates record-breaking year

European aerospace group EADS reported on Thursday a 2011 profit leap beyond expectations, gave an ambitious outlook for this year and warned Germany against "external interference."EADS, which owns the plane maker Airbus and helicopter group Eurocopter, said that its 2011 net profit jumped 87 percent to 1.03 billion euros ($1.35 billion), sending its share price soaring higher in morning trading.

The Gulf state of Qatar is in talks to buy into European aerospace firm EADS by purchasing half of German carmaker Daimler's shares up for sale, the German weekly Der Spiegel reported.Members of the Qatari government met two weeks ago with German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler for initial talks, said the magazine in its edition to be published Monday.Defence group EADS is the parent company of plane maker Airbus.

European plane-maker Airbus will decide in two to three weeks whether to compete for a US military contract to build an aerial refuelling tanker, its chief said in an interview published Monday.Airbus's parent company, EADS, and its US partner Northrop Grumman dropped a joint bid for the contract earlier in March as the companies alleged that the Pentagon's requirements were skewed in favour of US aerospace giant Boeing.

European aerospace giant EADS announced on Tuesday it will bid on a lucrative deal to supply the US Air Force with new aerial refueling tankers, taking on its archrival Boeing.EADS, the parent of Airbus, will make an offer as the lead contractor, having lost its US partner Northrop Grumman six weeks ago, officials said.Chief executive officer Louis Gallois said the company wanted to expand in the American defense market, long dominated by Boeing and other US firms."We want to increase our presence in the United States," Gallois said.

European aerospace giant EADS announced it will bid on a lucrative deal to supply the US Air Force with new aerial refueling tankers, taking on its archrival Boeing.EADS, the parent of Airbus, will make an offer as the lead contractor, having lost its US partner Northrop Grumman six weeks ago, officials said.Chief executive officer Louis Gallois said the company wanted to expand in the American defense market, long dominated by Boeing and other US firms."We want to increase our presence in the United States," Gallois said.