HAMBURG, Germany – Airbus in Leiden, NL., will equip Delta Air Lines’ Airbus A350-1000 fleet with a multi-orbit inflight connectivity system built around the company’s HBCplus aircraft integration platform.
The agreement covers 20 A350-1000 aircraft currently on order. Delta becomes the first North American airline to adopt Airbus’ HBCplus linefit connectivity offering for factory-installed deployment.
Related: National Airlines equips Airbus A330 fleet with Viasat satellite connectivity systems
Multi-orbit connectivity and aircraft integration
Airbus is working with Hughes to integrate the Fusion inflight communications platform into the A350-1000 during aircraft production. The network is designed to operate across various satellite layers rather than relying on a single orbital system. Multi-orbit configurations can improve route flexibility while supporting lower-latency communications across long-haul operations.
Airbus said the aircraft will also receive antenna hardware supporting low Earth orbit connectivity following delivery. The electronically steered design maintains satellite links without mechanically moving components.
Modular upgrade architecture and airline operations
HBCplus is Airbus’ satellite connectivity integration framework for both new-production and retrofit aircraft programs. The architecture allows airlines to pair certified onboard hardware with different satellite service providers.
The company is also developing a modular version of the system that supports multiple antennas and additional satellite configurations. Airbus said the structure is intended to simplify maintenance updates and future network expansion.
Delta and Airbus also plan to evaluate integration between the connectivity platform and Delta Sync onboard digital services. The companies said the effort could support both passenger-facing applications and airline operational systems.
