Airbus's helicopter business expects to increase its focus on military aviation in the coming years, its boss said at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin on Wednesday.

The business made 6.8 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in revenues in 2015, split fairly evenly between its civilian and military sides, according to its annual report.

"We will become a little more military," Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive Guillaume Faury told reporters.

He said the shift was likely to take place within the next three to five years, and was simply a development he observed, not something Airbus Helicopters actively pursued.

Faury said demand from the oil and gas sector had nearly halted, hit by oil companies seeking to reduce costs following a slump in the price of crude.

In contrast, interest in military helicopters had risen amid heightened global security concerns and clients were increasingly looking into helicopters to quickly respond to threats, he said.

Source : reuters.com