Airbus expects to deliver close to 430 planes in 2006, it said on Wednesday, adding a more bullish tone to its forecast and pledging a new long-range model by summer to compete with rival Boeing.
Airbus Chief Executive Gustav Humbert told a news conference that the planemaker would deliver "closer to 430" aircraft in 2006, for a growth rate of 13 percent.
Airbus previously had said it expected deliveries to rise at least 10 percent this year, implying deliveries of at least 416 following a record 378 in 2005.
Humbert is under pressure to spell out what Airbus will do to stem slow sales in long-range models, a niche where Boeing is performing well with its 777 and the new 787 due in 2008.
He said Airbus was studying a number of improvements to its proposed A350 model and reiterated that a decision would come in time for the Farnborough air show in July.
"The message to our competitor (Boeing) is clear: the game is not over yet, it will just start in the summer," he said.
Both makers are coming off a record year in orders in 2005 but Airbus, which narrowly held on as top seller, relied far more heavily on cheaper, smaller single-aisle models.
It has booked 100 orders for its proposed A350 twin-aisle model due in 2010 and hopes to add to these as large potential deals loom in the Arab Gulf and Asia.
Humbert said Airbus is looking at plans to improve the A350, a move he said would boost its chances of winning major orders from Singapore Airlines and Emirates.
Emirates has said it might up to 100 mid-sized planes, but is in no hurry to commit.
"Singapore were ready to make a decision at the beginning of May and delayed," Humbert said. "I think one of the reasons is that we told them we would work on the A350."
"What we are doing inside Airbus is getting attraction from our customers and we are starting to get momentum," he told reporters at the Berlin air show.
Airbus launched the A350 last year but has been criticized by key customers including Singapore Airlines for plans to base the A350 on the 20-year-old A330 model.
