HANOI, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Vietnamese budget carrier

VietJet said on Thursday it will take delivery of up to

10 Airbus jets this year, at a time when local airlines

are facing a shortage of aircraft due to engine recalls by

manufacturers and high leasing prices.

The new jets, which are mostly the A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin

Flex) model, are expected to be delivered from this month,

VietJet said in a statement.

The company has ordered 206 planes from Airbus and operates

a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, it added.

Last month, it signed a contract with Airbus to buy 20

A330neo wide-body aircraft in a deal valued at $7.4 billion

based on the manufacturer's list price.