Airbus, Thales, Leonardo in Talks to Merge Space, Satellite Units
Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo are in talks to merge their space and satellite businesses, with Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury suggesting the combined company could resemble MBDA. Despite a missed July deadline for a 'go/no-go' decision, negotiations continue.
The proposed merger excludes launch capabilities, as the U.S. leads in this area. Airbus and Thales have both shown progress in turning around their space businesses, with Airbus taking a 1.6 billion euro charge in 2024 and an additional 300 million euros in February. Thales Alenia Space redeployed 1,300 employees elsewhere within the company, avoiding layoffs. Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani expected a decision by the end of July, but talks are ongoing. The passage of the U.S. budget reconciliation bill has reassured Thales, restoring funding for the lunar Gateway.
The merged entity would focus on satellites, with no launch capabilities included. Despite the missed deadline, negotiations continue, with Airbus CEO Faury believing the combined company could be modeled on the successful European joint venture MBDA.
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