PARIS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - European aerospace companies

are bracing for "very strong" protectionism in the United States

under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald

Trump, the head of planemaker Airbus said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters as head of France's GIFAS aerospace

industry association, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury also said

supply chains remained heavily impacted by the pandemic.

Airbus is expected to announce later on Thursday that it

made 766 deliveries in 2024, up 4% from the previous year,

coupled with a slowdown in orders from record highs in 2023.