Company:MBDA

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Short description: European developer and manufacturer of missiles
MBDA
IndustryDefence
FoundedDecember 2001; 22 years ago (2001-12)
HeadquartersLe Plessis-Robinson, France
Key people
Eric Beranger (CEO)[1]
ProductsMissiles, missiles systems, countermeasures, countermining
RevenueIncrease 3.7 billion (2019)[2]
Owners
  • Airbus (37.5%)
  • BAE Systems (37.5%)
  • Leonardo (25%)
Number of employees
13,000[3]
DivisionsMBDA France
MBDA UK
MBDA Italy
MBDA Germany
MBDA Spain
SubsidiariesMatra Electronique
GDI Simulation
Bayern-Chemie
TDW
MBDA Inc
Websitewww.mbda-systems.com

MBDA is a European multinational developer and manufacturer of missiles.[4][5] It was created in December 2001 after the merger of the main France , United Kingdom and Italian missile systems companies; Matra, BAe Dynamics and Alenia. These were previously the missile subsidiaries of Aérospatiale-Matra (merged into EADS, now called Airbus), BAE Systems and Finmeccanica (now Leonardo).[6][7] The company's headquarters are located in Le Plessis-Robinson, France .

Despite being a European joint venture, MBDA has maintained national divisions since its creation: MBDA France, MBDA UK and MBDA Italy.[8][9] They were formed by simply grouping in their respective countries the assets and activities of the various French, British and Italian businesses that had merged to create MBDA.

In March 2006, LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH, the Germany missile subsidiary of EADS, was acquired by MBDA and Spain assets followed in 2010,[10] leading to the formation of two additional national divisions (MBDA Germany and MBDA Spain).[8]

In 2016, the company had more than 10,500 employees. In 2017, MBDA recorded orders for €4.2 bn and an order book of 16.8 bn. MBDA works with over 90 armed forces worldwide and also has a number of subsidiaries, including one in the United States (MBDA Inc).[8]

History

Shareholders, as of 2019:

  Airbus (37.5%)
  BAE Systems (37.5%)
  Leonardo (25%)

The consolidation of Europe's missile companies began in 1996 when parts of Matra Defence and BAe Dynamics merged their missile activities to form Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD). Matra BAe Dynamics represented half of Matra Hautes Technologies' missile business; the other half was Matra Missiles which became Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles (AMM). In 1999, Matra group merged with Aérospatiale. In 2000, Aérospatiale-Matra became part of European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS) (now Airbus).[11]

In 1998, GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems and Alenia Difesa (it) combined their missile and radar activities to form Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS). In 1999, British Aerospace purchased GEC's defence business to form BAE Systems.[12]

In December 2001, MBD (including AMM) and the Missile and Missile Systems activities of AMS merged, creating MBDA.[13] In June 2005, LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK), a unit of Airbus Defence and Security Systems, agreed to be merged into MBDA. On 1 March 2006, LFK became MBDA Germany. ON 9 May 2012, the LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH became MBDA Deutschland GmbH. Since February 2002, MBDA has owned 40% of Inmize Sistemas S.L., a Spanish company that was formed to integrate the experience and technology of the major Spanish defence companies in the guided weapons sector. As AMS had R&D assets located in California, MBDA also managed to acquire development and production facilities in the United States, choosing to operate in the country as a wholly-owned subsidiary, called MBDA Inc.[5] In December 2011, MBDA Inc acquired the Viper Strike activity of Northrop Grumman in Huntsville, Alabama.[14]

In August 2022, MBDA Missile Systems' data was hacked from a compromised external hard drive. The data allegedly included blueprints of NATO weapons used in the Russo-Ukrainian War, and 80 Gb of such data was sold for 15 Bitcoin. NATO started an investigation trying to assess and minimize the impact of this data breach.[15]

Products

Overall, the group has 45 products in service and 15 more in development.[when?] MBDA's products include:

  • Air-to-air missiles:
    • ASRAAM - short range, IR guided
    • Meteor - long range, active radar terminal homing
    • MICA - IR and radar guided versions (also SAM)
  • Surface-to-air missiles:
    • Aspide
    • CAMM (air, land and naval versions)
    • Eurosam Aster - medium (Aster 15) and long range (Aster 30) SAMs land and naval versions
    • LFK NG (together with Diehl BGT Defence)
    • Mistral (also AAM)
    • Rapier
    • Sea Wolf
  • Air-to-surface missiles:
    • Apache
    • AS-30L
    • ASMPA - French nuclear missile
    • Brimstone
    • Diamond Back range extension kit for the SDB[5]
    • PGM 500 and PGM 2000 guided missiles
    • Laser-Guided Zuni[5]
    • Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG
    • Viper Strike
  • Anti-ship missiles:
    • Exocet (air-, surface ship-, coastal battery- and submarine-launched versions)
    • Marte (air-, surface ship- and coastal battery-launched versions)
    • Otomat/Teseo
    • Perseus (CVS401)
    • Sea Eagle
    • Sea Venom
  • Anti-tank missiles:
    • Enforcer - shoulder-launched guided rocket
    • Eryx - short range
    • HOT
    • MILAN
    • Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP)
    • PARS 3 LR - long range (together with Diehl BGT Defence)
  • Systems
    • Eurosam SAMP/T
    • MEADS
    • Next Generation Multiple Warhead System
    • PAAMS missile system comprising:
    • Spada

Locations

  • France:
    • Le Plessis-Robinson (headquarters)
    • Bourges
    • Selles-Saint-Denis
  • Germany:
    • Schrobenhausen
    • Ulm
    • Aschau am Inn
  • Italy:
    • La Spezia
    • Rome
    • Fusaro
  • United Kingdom:
    • Filton, Bristol
    • Bolton, Greater Manchester
    • Stevenage, Hertfordshire
    • London, Greater London
  • United States:[5]
  • India:
    • Coimbatore- L&T MBDA Missile Systems (A joint venture between Larsen & Toubro and MBDA).

References

  1. Hepher, Tim (2019-05-15). "MBDA boss faces battle of wits as Airbus strategy chief". https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-airbus-management/mbda-boss-faces-battle-of-wits-as-airbus-strategy-chief-idUKKCN1SL211. 
  2. Mackenzie, Christina (2019-03-20). "MBDA doubles down on tiny European laser-weapon project". https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/03/20/mbda-doubles-down-on-tiny-european-laser-weapon-project/. 
  3. "ABOUT US". https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/. 
  4. MBDA • European centres of excellence
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 MBDA Inc. US Division Corporate Page
  6. "History". https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/history/. 
  7. "MBDA - Company Profile". https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1720864Z:LN. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 "MBDA WORLDWIDE". https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/mbda-worldwide/. 
  9. "MBDA HISTORY". https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/history/. 
  10. "History". https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/history/. 
  11. "European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company | European consortium" (in en). https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-Aeronautic-Defence-and-Space-Company. 
  12. Judge, Ben (30 November 2015). "30 November 1999: BAE Systems formed in £7.7bn merger". Dennis Publishing Ltd. https://moneyweek.com/417068/30-november-1999-bae-systems-formed-in-7-7bn-merger. 
  13. "EADS, BAE and Finmeccanica Complete MBDA Merger". Defense Daily International. 2001-12-21. 
  14. "MBDA purchases Northrop Grumman's Viper Strike munitions business" (Press release). 12 December 2011.
  15. "Nato investigates hacker sale of missile firm data". BBC News. 26 August 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62672184. 

External links