LE BOURGET, France (AP) — The Latest on the Paris Air Show (all times local):
12:20 p.m.
France, Germany and Spain have agreed to develop a joint European fighter jet and air combat system that could also control drones and satellites.
With a model of the jet as a backdrop, defense ministers from the three countries signed an agreement Monday at the Paris Air Show that lays out how the countries will cooperate on the project, which would include a new-generation combat aircraft. French President Emmanuel Macron presided over the signing.
The Future Combat Air System is expected to be operational by 2040.
France sees it as a key step in its push for more European defense efforts, given U.S. President Donald Trump’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for supporting Europe militarily.
Authorities have not said how much it would cost but the dpa news agency estimates it could be 100 billion euros ($112 billion).
___
11:25 a.m.
Airbus will start making a new single-aisle long-range jet, beating rival Boeing to the market in this category.
The European plane maker launched the A321XLR jet Monday at the Paris Air Show, saying it will be ready for customers in 2023 and will fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers).
Chief salesman Christian Scherer would not say how much the plane would cost to develop, but said it would be significantly less than building a whole new plane because it is an upgraded version of the existing A321.
It was the biggest new plane announcement expected at the Paris Air Show gathering of aviation industry powerhouses.
Boeing is considering whether to build a new jet — the concept is dubbed New Midsize Airplane, or NMA — that would be close in size to the A321XLR. It would fill a gap in the Boeing lineup between the smaller 737 and the larger 777 and 787.
Right after the launch, Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corporation signed a letter of intent to buy 27 of the new Airbus planes.
___
9:55 a.m.
A Boeing executive is apologizing to airlines and families of victims of 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Kevin McAllister, CEO of Boeing’s commercial aircraft, told reporters at the Paris Air Show on Monday that “we are very sorry for the loss of lives” in the Lion Air crash in October and Ethiopian Airlines crash in March. A total of 346 people were killed.
McAllister also said “I’m sorry for the disruption” to airlines from the subsequent grounding of all Max planes worldwide, and to their passengers. He stressed that the company is working hard to learn from what went wrong but wouldn’t say when the plane could fly again.
Other Boeing executives also stressed the company’s focus on safety and condolences to victims’ families.
Angle-measuring sensors in both planes malfunctioned, alerting anti-stall software to push the noses of the planes down. The pilots were unable to take back control of the planes. Investigations are underway.
___
9:45 a.m.
The world’s aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max.
The global economic slowdown and trade tensions between the U.S. and other powers are also weighing on the event that opened Monday at Le Bourget airfield.
Boeing’s CEO said the company is heading into this week’s show with “humility” after the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia and Boeing’s botched communication over a cockpit warning system in the Max.
Rival Airbus is expecting some big orders despite a slow sales year so far, and is likely to unveil its long-range A320 XLR at the Paris show.
The event also is showcasing electric planes, pilotless air taxis and other cutting-edge technology.
