MBDA

MBDA is a European arms company which manufactures missiles and is the result of the 2001 merger of Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles (of EADS), Alenia Marconi Systems' missile divisions and Matra BAe Dynamics. As of 2003 the company had 10,000 employees and in 2005 an annual turnover of €3 bn.

History

The consolidation of Europe's missile companies began in 1996, when parts of Matra Defense and BAe Dynamics merged to form Matra BAe Dynamics. Matra BAe Dynamics represented half of Matra Hautes Technologies' missile business, the other half was Matra Missiles which became Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles when Matra merged with Aérospatiale in 1999. In 2000, Aérospatiale-Matra became part of EADS.

In 1998, GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems and Alenia Difesa combined their missile and radar activities to form Alenia Marconi Systems. Also in 1998, GEC-Marconi (renamed Marconi Electronic Systems) was sold to British Aerospace and became part of the merged company, BAE Systems.

In December 2001, MBDA was created.

In June 2005, LFK, a unit of EADS Defence and Security Systems, agreed to be merged into MBDA. Oon March 1, 2006, LFK became MBDA Deutschland.

On March 16, 2006 the Financial Times reported the possible sale of BAE's 37.5% share of MBDA. The paper reports that EADS is keen to take full control of the joint venture by acquiring the BAE share and Finmeccanica's 25%."MBDA prepares for consolidation." Financial Times. Retrieved March 18, 2006.