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MBDA, a global company for missile & missile systems

19 Dec 2001

London, Rome, Amsterdam, December 19, 2001: Eight months after the signature of the shareholders agreement for the incorporation of a single company re-grouping the missile and missile systems activities of BAE Systems, EADS and FINMECCANICA respective subsidiaries, the process of creating MBDA has been successfully completed.

With a total annual sales figure exceeding 2 billion and an impressive order book of around 13 billion, the new company is a market leader.

"Our joint venture benefits from the support of three major aerospace companies, BAE Systems, EADS and FINMECCANICA, and, in its own right, is a world player, giving good value for money for its customers and shareholders as well", said BAE Systems' CEO John Weston.

"Taking the best European skills in the field, and building upon the experience of the most exported programmes, MBDA possesses a powerful base in high technology and shall take the lead in developing New Generation weapon systems; we are proud of our new joint company", said Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, CEOs of EADS.

Alberto Lina, Chairman and CEO, and Giuseppe Bono, Managing Director and COO of FINMECCANICA, said: "the international situation proves every day the need for high performance of the defence industry. MBDA has the critical mass to offer armed forces the best global solutions for today's as well as tomorrow's requirements, as the strongest European answer to the global rationalisation needs ".

With the most salient programmes as the air to air future combat system Meteor, the antimissile missile Aster family and the cruise missile Storm Shadow/Scalp EG family, MBDA is already in a leading position and is best positioned to provide answers in the large debate over new threats, missile defence or power projection.

MBDA - the management of which is headed by Fabrice Brgier - will encompass the remaining missile activities of its shareholders and has a strategic alliance with the German missile industry (starting with LFK, an EADS and MBDA common company) as well as with the Spanish missile industry (with EADS-Casa, Indra and Izar).

"A winning team, MBDA will increase and strengthen co-operative programmes which represent the success of European technology in the field of Defence" agreed the CEOs jointly. On the Meteor programme, for instance, MBDA will from the very beginning fit all major European platforms, including Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen.