MBDA

European developer and manufacturer of missiles

Not to be confused with Minority Business Development Agency.

MBDA

Company type| Joint venture
Industry| Defence
Founded| December 2001; 23 years ago (2001-12)
Headquarters| Le Plessis-Robinson n. Paris, France

Key people

| Éric Béranger (CEO)[1]
Products| Missiles, missiles systems, countermeasures, countermining
Revenue|  €4.5 billion (2023)[2]
Owners|

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

Number of employees

| 13,000[3]
Divisions| MBDA France
MBDA UK
MBDA Italy
MBDA Germany
MBDA Spain
Subsidiaries| Matra Electronique
GDI Simulation
Bayern-Chemie
TDW
MBDA Inc.
Website| mbda-systems.com

MBDA is a European multinational corporation specialized in the design, development and manufacturing of missiles and related systems.[4][5] Headquartered in Le Plessis-Robinson near Paris, France, the company was founded in December 2001 via the merger of three of the most prominent European missile systems companies: the French Aérospatiale Matra Missiles, the Anglo-French Matra BAe Dynamics and the missile division of the Italian Alenia Marconi Systems. These businesses were subsidiaries of EADS (now called Airbus), BAE Systems and Finmeccanica (now Leonardo), and all three remain MBDA's parent companies.[6][7]

MBDA employs around 13,000 people worldwide as of 2023 and, despite being an integrated company, has maintained national divisions since its creation: MBDA France (over 6,000 employees), MBDA UK (over 4,000) and MBDA Italy (1,852).[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 German missile subsidiary of EADS, was acquired by MBDA and in 2010, an office was opened in Madrid, Spain,[10] leading to the formation of two additional national divisions: MBDA Germany (1,200 employees) and MBDA Spain (25).[8]

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, MBDA Inc (50 employees).[8]

## History

[edit]

The consolidation within Europe's missile industry began in 1996 when half of the missile business of Matra Hautes Technologies (the Matra conglomerate's aerospace, defence and telecommunications division) merged with the missile activities of BAe Dynamics (itself a division of British Aerospace) 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'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 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.[11]

In 1998, GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems (a subsidiary of GEC-Marconi) and Alenia Difesa [it] (a subsidiary of Finmeccanica) combined their missile and radar 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.[12] 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.[citation needed]

In December 2001, AAM, MBD and the missile systems activities of AMS merged, thus founding MBDA.[13] In March 2006, LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK), the German missile subsidiary of EADS, was acquired by MBDA. 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.[5] In December 2011, MBDA Inc acquired the Viper Strike activity of Northrop Grumman in Huntsville, Alabama.[14]

## Structure of the MBDA Group

[edit]

### MBDA sites

[edit]

* MBDA in France
* Le Plessis-Robinson ( MBDA Group headquarters)
* Bourges Subdray
* Bourges Aéroport
* Selles-Saint-Denis
* MBDA in Germany[15]
* Schrobenhausen (MBDA Deutschland headquarters)
* Aschau am Inn
* Freienhausen (test center)
* Hermeskeil
* Ulm
* MBDA in Italy[16]
* La Spezia
* Rome
* Fusaro
* MBDA in the UK[17][18]
* Stevenage, Hertfordshire (MBDA UK headquarters)
* Filton, Bristol
* Bolton, Greater Manchester
* MBDA Inc. in the USA[19]
* Westlake Village, California
* Washington, DC
* Huntsville, Alabama

### MBDA subsidiaries

[edit]

* MBDA Deutschland GmbH
* TDW GmbH[20]
* Bayern-Chemie[21]
* MBDA France and MBDA UK
* Roxel [fr][22]
* MBDA
* Inmize Sistemas (MBDA is a partial owner)

### Joint-ventures

[edit]

* With European companies
* Eurosam: JV comprising MBDA France, MBDA Italy and Thales.[23]
* MBDA Deutschland and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition.[24][25]
* RAM-System GmbH (RAMSYS): JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and Diehl Defence.[26]
* TAURUS Systems GmbH: JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and Saab.[27]
* With American companies
* COMLOG: JV comprising MBDA Deutschland and Raytheon.[28][29]
* With Asian companies
* L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited: JV comprising MBDA and Larsen & Toubro.[30]
* MBDA Italy, MBDA UK and SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries) JV.[31]

## Products

[edit]

### Current products

[edit]

* Air-to-air missiles
* ASRAAM \- short range, IR guided
* Meteor \- long range, active radar terminal homing
* MICA \- IR and radar guided versions (also a surface-to-air missile)
* Mistral ATAM
* Surface-to-air missiles
* Missiles
* CAMM family
* Eurosam Aster family (in cooperation with Thales Group)
* Mistral (also an air-to-air missile)
* MICA VL
* Air defence systems
* Aspide / Spada 2000
* Eurosam SAMP/T (in cooperation with Thales)
* EMADS[32]
* MICA VL
* PAAMS missile system comprising
* Eurosam PAAMS(E)
* UKAMS PAAMS(S)
* Sky Warden / Sea Warden[33][34]
* Air-to-surface weapons
* ASMP \- French nuclear-armed cruise missile
* Brimstone
* Diamond Back range extension kit for the SDB[5]
* PGM 500 and PGM 2000 guided missiles
* 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
* Anti-tank missiles
* Akeron MP
* Enforcer
* MILAN

### Production ended

[edit]

* Surface-to-air missiles
* Rapier
* Sea Wolf
* Air-to-surface weapons
* Apache
* AS-30L
* Laser-Guided Zuni[5]

* Anti-ship missiles
* Sea Eagle

* Anti-tank missiles
* Eryx
* HOT
* PARS 3 LR \- long range (together with Diehl BGT Defence)

### Cancelled weapons

[edit]

* Next Generation Multiple Warhead System
* Surface-to-air missiles
* Missiles
* LFK NG (together with Diehl BGT Defence)
* Air defence systems
* MEADS

## Programmes under development

[edit]

### Products in development

[edit]

* Nuclear weapons
* ASN4G
* Cruise missiles
* FC/ASW
* FC / ASW RJ10 - air launched, supersonic, high manoeuvrability
* FC / ASW TP15 - surface launched, stealthy, subsonic
* Joint Fire Support Missile (JFS-M)[35]
* Sea Venom
* Air-to-surface weapons
* AKERON LP, formerla known as the MAST-F (Missile Air-Sol Tactique Futur) anti-tank missile for the Eurocopter Tiger and the Eurodrone.[36]
* Surface-to-air missiles
* DefendAir (VSHORAD)
* Fulgur (missile) (VSHORAD)
* Drones
* Loitering munitions:[37]
* Akeron RCX 50
* Akeron RCH 170
* MBDA OWE (One-Way Effector) - long range attack drones[38]

## Controversies

[edit]

### Data breach

[edit]

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.[39]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hepher, Tim (15 May 2019). "MBDA boss faces battle of wits as Airbus strategy chief". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
2. ^ "MBDA expects orders, revenue in Italy to dip this year after new records in 2023". Reuters. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
3. ^ "ABOUT US". MBDA. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
4. ^ MBDA • European centres of excellence Archived 2010-12-06 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ a b c d MBDA Inc. US Division Corporate Page Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "History". Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
7. ^ "MBDA - Company Profile". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
8. ^ a b c "MBDA WORLDWIDE". Retrieved 17 February 2020.
9. ^ "MBDA HISTORY". Retrieved 24 May 2022.
10. ^ "History". Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
11. ^ "European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company | European consortium". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
12. ^ Judge, Ben (30 November 2015). "30 November 1999: BAE Systems formed in £7.7bn merger". moneyweek.com. Dennis Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
13. ^ "EADS, BAE and Finmeccanica Complete MBDA Merger". Defense Daily International. 21 December 2001.
14. ^ "MBDA purchases Northrop Grumman's Viper Strike munitions business" (Press release). 12 December 2011.
15. ^ DE, MBDA (16 July 2017). "Standorte" (in German). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
16. ^ "MBDA in Italy, Excellence at your side | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
17. ^ "MBDA in the UK, Excellence at your side | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
18. ^ "Contact us". MBDA Careers. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
19. ^ MBDA Inc. US Division Corporate Page Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
20. ^ "TDW Warhead Systems – An MBDA Company – Technology with Impact". www.tdw-warhead-systems.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
21. ^ DE, MBDA (16 July 2017). "Bayern-Chemie GmbH" (in German). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
22. ^ "MBDA makes Roxel a wholly-owned subsidiary | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
23. ^ "European Joint Venture". Eurosam. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
24. ^ "Rheinmetall and MBDA win contract for high-energy laser system". Rheinmetall. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
25. ^ "Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland sign cooperation agreement". Rheinmetall. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
26. ^ Aktuell, Militaer (21 November 2024). "RAM GMLS order for Diehl & MBDA joint venture". militaeraktuell.at. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
27. ^ "Modernizing TAURUS for the Bundeswehr | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
28. ^ "NSPA awards COMLOG a contract for Patriot missiles". United Technologies. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
29. ^ "MBDA Deutschland und Raytheon arbeiten an Serienproduktion der Patriot GEM-T" (in German). 8 June 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
30. ^ "L&T MBDA Missile Systems". www.lntmbda.com. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
31. ^ "Saudi SAMI and MBDA JV to localize CAMM missiles production". Tactical Report. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
32. ^ "EMADS | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
33. ^ "SKY WARDEN | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
34. ^ "SEA WARDEN | MBDA". www.mbda-systems.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
35. ^ "Taktisches Luftverteidigungssystem". 5 March 2021.
36. ^ "France: successful firing of AKERON LP missile marks milestone for MAST-F programme". 6 February 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
37. ^ Valpolini, Paolo (4 April 2025). "SOFINS 2025 - MBDA France: the Akeron family grows with two loitering munitions". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
38. ^ "MBDA presents a long-range attack drone designed to be produced at 1000 units per month!". meta-defense.fr. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
39. ^ "Nato investigates hacker sale of missile firm data". BBC News. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* MBDA website

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Related topics|

* ADS Group
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Category

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Airbus

History, Competition with Boeing

Divisions|

* Defence and Space
* Helicopters

Subsidiaries|

* Airbus Corporate Jets
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* Airbus Helicopters, Inc.
* Airbus ProSky
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* Dornier Consulting
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* Premium AEROTEC
* Stelia Aerospace
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People|

* René Obermann
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Precursors|

* Aérospatiale
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BAE Systems

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divisions|

* BAE Systems Australia
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* Air Astana (49%)
* CTA International (50%)
* Eurofighter GmbH (33%)
* FNSS Defence Systems (49%)
* MBDA (37.5%)

* Category

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Leonardo

Subsidiaries|

* AgustaWestland
* Alenia Aermacchi
* Avio
* Leonardo DRS
* OTO Melara
* Selex ES
* SELEX Sistemi Integrati

Joint ventures|

* ATR
* Bell Agusta Aerospace Company
* Hensoldt
* MBDA
* NGL Prime
* Quadrics
* Panavia Aircraft
* SuperJet International
* Telespazio
* Telespazio VEGA UK
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* Thales Alenia Space

People|

* Giovanni De Gennaro
* Pier Francesco Guarguaglini
* Mauro Moretti
* Giuseppe Orsi
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