French MoD launches Scalp Naval Programme - Major Breakthrough for EADS on Defence Markets
Amsterdam, 05 March 2002
EADS Aeronautic Defence and Space Company welcomes the decision of the French Ministry of Defence to launch the Scalp Naval cruise missile for its Navy. This decision is a milestone in Europe’s acquisition of new major operational capabilities and a breakthrough for EADS on defence markets.
Commenting on this announcement, Tom Enders, member of the EADS Executive Committee and head of the Defence and Civil Systems division said: "Through our missile subsidiaries we have now cruise missile programmes in production or R&D status for six countries, with a total order value that could exceed three billion EUR for the next 10 years. The launch of the Scalp Naval programme, worth several hundred million EUR, will further reinforce the capacity of EADS to make complete integrated systems offers. Furthermore, it will contribute to developing our defence activities significantly, particularly for naval forces".
The consolidation of the European missile industry, boosted particularly by the creation of EADS, had already allowed France, the United Kingdom and Italy to start a major partnership programme, developing the Storm Shadow / Scalp EG airborne cruise missile family. This family will now be extended with a programme that will set the standards for a new generation of cruise missiles for naval forces.
EADS can now provide global defence systems solutions, for instance on frigate platforms, that include numerous EADS sub-systems, answering to the See-Decide-Act operational chain:
See: Shipborne radar systems integrated into a full C4ISR environment including observation satellites, mission aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Decide: Command Management System, including the C3I and the secure transmissions sub-systems (with satellite communication networks),
Act: Self-protection systems and missile systems designed for a range of missions including surface-to-air, anti-ship, anti-submarine, deep land attack behind defence lines, as well as integrated helicopter weapon systems.
This is complemented by the first-class capability of EADS to offer outsourcing solutions adapted to the growing requirements of customers including navies, as demonstrated recently with the Paradigm selection for the Skynet 5 programme by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The Scalp Naval programme will be led by MBDA, a joint company of EADS (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Finmeccanica (25%). MBDA is part of EADS's Defence and Civil Systems division and number 2 worldwide in missile systems.
The serial effect thus obtained with the Storm Shadow / Scalp EG airborne version family (more than 2,000 units ordered) now allows the European industry to propose a new version of this product adapted to other platforms, at reduced cost and within a shorter time frame, designed to meet the emerging requirements of the European Navies. Scalp Naval will also reinforce the interoperability of air and naval forces (surface vessels and submarines) at both the national and the multinational level.
At operational level, Scalp Naval will provide a long-range strike force capabilities for numerous platforms, capable of ensuring a permanent presence in potential crisis areas. Scalp Naval is also an important contribution to the European Union’s and Nato’s defence capability improvement programmes.
With revenues amounting to EUR 30.8 billion and a workforce of around 103,000, in 2001, EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company is the largest European aerospace company and the No 2 worldwide.
Press contact:
Frédéric Aragon
Tel: +33 6 07 06 57 99
Roland Sanguinetti
+33 1 42 24 24 26
Martine Galland
+33 1 42 24 22 54
Rainer Ohler
+49 89 607 34 235
Miguel Sanchez
+34 91 585 77 89
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