multinational corporation
A multinational corporation (MNC; also called a multinational enterprise (MNE), transnational enterprise (TNE), transnational corporation (TNC), international corporation, or stateless corporation, is a corporate organization that owns and cont ...
specialized in the design, development and manufacturing of missiles and related systems.MBDA Inc. US Division Corporate Page Headquartered in
Le Plessis-Robinson
Le Plessis-Robinson () is a Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. , it has 29,100 inhabitants.
History
Plessis was first mentioned in 839 as ''Plessiacu ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, the company was founded in December 2001 via the
merger
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
Airbus
Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...
),
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...
and Finmeccanica (now Leonardo), and all three remain MBDA's parent companies.
MBDA employs around 13,000 people worldwide as of 2023 and, despite being an integrated company, has maintained national
divisions
Division may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting of 10,000 t ...
since its creation: MBDA France (over 6,000 employees),
MBDA UK
MBDA UK is the British Division (business), division of the pan-European missile systems company MBDA (itself a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo (company), Leonardo). Formed in 2001, the company has developed, both independently ...
(over 4,000) and MBDA Italy (1852). 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 German missile subsidiary of EADS, was acquired by MBDA and in 2010, an office was opened in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, leading to the formation of two additional national divisions: MBDA Germany (1,200 employees) and MBDA Spain (25).
In 2023, MBDA generated €4.5 billion in revenue. It works with over 90 armed forces worldwide and also has a number of subsidiaries, including one in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, MBDA Inc (50 employees).
History
The consolidation within Europe's missile industry began in 1996 when half of the missile business of Matra Hautes Technologies (the
Matra
Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a major French industrial Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. Its business activities covered a wide range of industries, notably aerospace manufacturer, aerospace, defence industry, def ...
conglomerate's aerospace, defence and telecommunications division) merged with the missile activities of BAe Dynamics (itself a division of
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft manufacturer, aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer that was formed in 1977. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. ...
) to form the 50/50 joint venture Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD). Three years later, the other half of Matra Hautes Technologies's missile business (Matra Missiles) and
Aérospatiale
Aérospatiale () was a major French state-owned aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and arms industry, defence corporation. It was founded in 1970 as () through the merger of three established state-owned companies: Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation ...
's missile systems division were consolidated to form Aérospatiale Matra Missiles (AMM) following the merger between Aérospatiale and Matra Hautes Technologies in 1999. As a result of these developments, the new French corporation, Aérospatiale-Matra, not only had AAM as its wholly-owned missile division but also now held Matra's 50% stake in MBD. In 2000, Aérospatiale-Matra merged with Germany's
DASA
DASA (officially Deutsche AeroSpace AG, later Daimler-Benz AeroSpace AG, then DaimlerChrysler AeroSpace AG) was a German aerospace manufacturer.
It was created during 1989 as the aerospace subsidiary arm of Daimler-Benz, Daimler-Benz AG (later D ...
and Spain's CASA to form the European Aeronautic Defence and Space or EADS (now rebranded Airbus); the latter thus gained ownership of all of Aérospatiale-Matra's assets, including its stakes in joint ventures; which is how Airbus came to be one of MBDA's three parent companies.
In 1998, ''GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems'' (a subsidiary of GEC-Marconi) and (a subsidiary of Finmeccanica) combined their missile and
radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
activities to form the 50/50 joint venture ''Alenia Marconi Systems'' (AMS). In 1999, British Aerospace purchased and merged with GEC-Marconi to form BAE Systems. Thus the newly-formed BAE Systems gained ownership of both BAe Dynamics' 50% stake in Matra BAe Dynamics and GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems' 50% stake in Alenia Marconi Systems; while Alenia Difesa's 50% stake in the latter remained under the ownership of Finmeccanica, which would later be rebranded Leonardo.
In December 2001, ''AAM'', ''MBD'' and the missile systems activities of ''AMS'' merged, thus founding ''MBDA''. In March 2006, LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK), the German missile subsidiary of ''EADS'', was acquired by MBDA. And on 9 May 2012, it was rebranded MBDA Deutschland GmbH. Together with its subsidiaries TDW and Bayern-Chemie, it forms ''MBDA Germany''. 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. An office was opened in the country in 2010 to manage its local activities. As AMS had R&D assets located in California, MBDA also possess facilities in the United States, choosing to operate in the country via a wholly-owned subsidiary called MBDA Inc. In December 2011, MBDA Inc acquired the Viper Strike activity of
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and Arms industry, defense company. With 97,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $40 billion, it is one of the world's largest Arms industry ...
in
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...
.
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
The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...
, 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.
Structure of the MBDA Group
MBDA sites
* MBDA in France
**
Le Plessis-Robinson
Le Plessis-Robinson () is a Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. , it has 29,100 inhabitants.
History
Plessis was first mentioned in 839 as ''Plessiacu ...
La Spezia
La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy.
La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguria ...
**
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
Bristol
Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
**
Bolton
Bolton ( , locally ) is a town in Greater Manchester in England. In the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, Bolton is between Manchester, Blackburn, Wigan, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury and Salford. It is surrounded by several towns and vill ...
,
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Cheshire to the south, and Merseyside to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Manchester. ...
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
**
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...
* With European companies
** Eurosam: JV comprising MBDA France, MBDA Italy and
Thales
Thales of Miletus ( ; ; ) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosophy, pre-Socratic Philosophy, philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. Thales was one of the Seven Sages of Greece, Seven Sages, founding figure ...
.
** MBDA Deutschland and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition.
** RAM-System GmbH (RAMSYS): JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and Diehl Defence.
** TAURUS Systems GmbH: JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and Saab.
* With American companies
** COMLOG: JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and
Raytheon
Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...
.
* With Asian companies
** L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited: JV comprising MBDA and Larsen & Toubro.
** MBDA Italy,
MBDA UK
MBDA UK is the British Division (business), division of the pan-European missile systems company MBDA (itself a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo (company), Leonardo). Formed in 2001, the company has developed, both independently ...
and
SAMI
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ne ...
(Saudi Arabian Military Industries) JV.
Products
Overall, the group has 45 products in service and 15 more in development.
MBDA's products include:
*
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft (including unmanned aircraft such as cruise missiles). AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid-fuel roc ...
s
**
ASRAAM
The Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), also known by its United States designation AIM-132, is an imaging infrared homing air-to-air missile, produced by MBDA UK, that is designed for close-range combat. It is in service in the ...
- short range, IR guided
**
Meteor
A meteor, known colloquially as a shooting star, is a glowing streak of a small body (usually meteoroid) going through Earth's atmosphere, after being heated to incandescence by collisions with air molecules in the upper atmosphere,
creating a ...
- long range, active radar terminal homing
**
MICA
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into fragile elastic plates. This characteristic is described as ''perfect basal cleavage''. Mica is co ...
- IR and radar guided versions (also a surface-to-air missile)
*
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...
Eurosam
Eurosam GIE is a European manufacturer of anti-air missiles. Eurosam was established in June 1989 for the development of the ''Famille de missiles Sol-Air Futurs'' (Future Surface-to-Air Family of missiles or FSAF). Eurosam was initially a joint ...
LFK NG
LFK NG from ''Lenkflugkörper Neue Generation'' ("New Generation Guided Missile") was a cancelled short-range surface-to-air missile system under development for the German Army by MBDA Germany and Diehl Defence as a replacement for its Rolan ...
Rapier
A rapier () is a type of sword originally used in Spain (known as ' -) and Italy (known as '' spada da lato a striscia''). The name designates a sword with a straight, slender and sharply pointed two-edged long blade wielded in one hand. It wa ...
Eurosam
Eurosam GIE is a European manufacturer of anti-air missiles. Eurosam was established in June 1989 for the development of the ''Famille de missiles Sol-Air Futurs'' (Future Surface-to-Air Family of missiles or FSAF). Eurosam was initially a joint ...
SAMP/T (in cooperation with Thales)
** MEADS
** PAAMS missile system comprising
***
Eurosam
Eurosam GIE is a European manufacturer of anti-air missiles. Eurosam was established in June 1989 for the development of the ''Famille de missiles Sol-Air Futurs'' (Future Surface-to-Air Family of missiles or FSAF). Eurosam was initially a joint ...
Air-to-surface missile
An air-to-surface missile (ASM) or air-to-ground missile (AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea. There are also unpowered guided glide bombs not considered missiles. The two most common prop ...
missile
A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor.
Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a target; this ...
** Brimstone
** Diamond Back range extension kit for the SDB
** MAST-F (Missile Air-Sol Tactique Futur) anti-tank missile for the Eurocopter Tiger.https://armyrecognition.com/focus-analysis-conflicts/army/defence-security-industry-technology/insight-mast-f-missile-to-replace-hellfire-ii-in-service-with-french-armed-forces
** PGM 500 and PGM 2000 guided missiles
** Laser-Guided Zuni
** Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG
** Viper Strike
* Land-attack missile
** MdCN
* 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 missile
An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a missile guidance, guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy armoured fighting vehicle, heavily armored military v ...
MILAN
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
**
PARS 3 LR
The PARS 3 LR in German service, also known as TRIGAT-LR (third generation anti-tank, long range) and AC 3G in French, is a fire-and-forget missile, which can be used against air or ground targets. It is intended for long range applications and ...