Project LEIA: Hybrid-electric onboard network architecture for short- and medium-haul aircraft

Aviation Project LEIA: Hybrid-Electric Onboard Network Architecture for Short- and Medium-Haul Aircraft

2026-08-06 From | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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As part of the LEIA project, short for "Large Scale Integration Demonstrator of Hybrid Electrical Architecture," Airbus is working with partners from the EU, the UK, and the USA on a new electrical energy architecture for short- and medium-haul aircraft.

In the LEIA project, various companies like Airbus are working on a hybrid-electric onboard network architecture for short- and medium-haul aircraft.(Source: Airbus) — In the LEIA project, various companies like Airbus are working on a hybrid-electric onboard network architecture for short- and medium-haul aircraft.
(Source: Airbus)

LEIA is funded by the EU initiative "Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking." It is hoped that the project will contribute to further developing high-voltage generation and distribution for new electric aircraft systems in short- to medium-haul aircraft while bridging the gap between components and systems. Within the framework of the project, Airbus is responsible for integrating various electrical components, including scalable motors/generators, electronic controls, power distribution systems, and various other aircraft systems. These systems will be validated through a comprehensive testing program that will culminate in a critical ground demonstration by 2027. "Our progress in developing hybrid-electric technologies and our involvement in the LEIA demonstrator mark a decisive shift in how we shape the future of flying," emphasises Karim Mokaddem, Head of the Aircraft of Tomorrow Research and Technology department at Airbus. "By transitioning to integrated, intelligent hybrid-electric architectures, we are actively laying the physical and digital foundations for the next generation of aircraft. This development demonstrates that the future of aviation is about more than just new propulsion sources; it is also about the new ecosystems that will govern them."

Integration test in Ottobrunn

LEIA builds on the SWITCH project, which focused on subsystems for hybrid-electric powertrains and reached an important milestone in July when Collins Aerospace completed the integrated laboratory tests. This success is the result of intense collaboration among the project partners, including Pratt & Whitney, GKN Aerospace, and MTU Aero Engines.

These subsystems, which are operated in conjunction with simulated aircraft and engine systems, are now being transferred to the "Airbus Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects" (STEP) laboratory in Ottobrunn, Germany. There, Airbus teams will conduct various integration tests, addressing, among other things, the design, battery connection, and energy management systems. (se)

Airbus and MTU Aero Engines plan to establish a joint venture for the development and marketing of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2027. (Source: Airbus)

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