Tom Enders, chief executive of the world's second largest aerospace firm after Boeing, pledged to put strong emphasis on cash generation and ensuring that deliveries of Airbus passenger jets remained on course in the final quarter.

EADS maintained forecasts of an increase of at least 10 percent in revenues and expected to deliver a 2012 operating profit of 2.7 billion euros. It aimed for a break even in free cash flow for the full year, with the language toned down from a positive cash flow forecast embedded in its half-year results.

In its first trading update since calling off plans to merge with Britain's BAE Systems last month, the Franco-German-led company said its key A350 aircraft programme remained challenging despite resolution of a wing production problem.

It posted a 67 percent rise in third-quarter operating profit to 537 million euros on sales of 12.324 billion euros, up 15 percent, compared with average analyst forecasts of 454 million operating profit and revenues of 11.853 billion.

EADS took a 76 million euro charge for the failure of U.S. aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft.