.png){kind=logo} | |
| Company type | GmbH |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defence Marine electronics Marine engineering |
| Founded | January 15, 1902; 123 years ago (1902-01-15) in Bremen |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Key people | Chairman: Dr. Peter Feldhaus |
| Owner | ThyssenKrupp |
| Parent | ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems |
Atlas Elektronik is a naval/marineelectronics and systems business based inBremen,Germany. It is involved in the development of integratedsonar systems forsubmarines and heavyweighttorpedoes.
The company was a subsidiary ofBAE Systems until December 2005, when it was sold toThyssenKrupp andEADS.
Atlas Elektronik became a wholly owned subsidiary ofThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in 2017.
The company was founded in 1902 asNorddeutsche Maschinen- und Armaturenfabrik GmbH, focusing on shipbuilding and naval engineering services. Its name was changed in 1911 toAtlas Werke AG, the origin of its modern-day name.
During theFirst World War, Atlas Werke builtU-boats for theImperial German Navy.
After the war, the company shrank in size and began to focus on civilian technology, due to restrictions imposed by theTreaty of Versailles.
Following theNazi seizure of power, the company grew to become an arms supplier for theKriegsmarine. Atlas manufactured torpedoes,minesweepers andEnigma machines, among other things.
After the end of theSecond World War, Atlas was rebuilt. The shipbuilding division and other business areas were sold off, shifting the focus solely to marine and defence electronics.
Starting in the 1960s, the company switched ownership several times, including several years spent as subsidiary ofFriedrich Krupp AG (after 1965) andBremer Vulkan (1991). In 1992, Atlas merged withSTN Systemtechnik Nord, a large defence electronics supplier, intoSTN Atlas Elektronik GmbH. Five years later, in 1997, STN Atlas was taken over byRheinmetall (51%) andBAE Systems (49%).
In 2003 STN Altas was split; Rheinmetall acquired the land systems business (Rheinmetall Defence Electronics) and BAE took control of the naval business, keeping the name Atlas Elektronik.
BAE Systems announced it intended to sell the company in 2005. The main bidders wereThyssenKrupp/EADS,Thales Group andL-3 Communications. On December 30 the joint ThyssenKrupp/EADS bid, valued at €145 million (£100m), was named the winner with the companies holding 51% and 49% respectively.
The bid was complicated by the requirement of the German government to approve any sale as acceptable. The Financial Times described the sale as "cut price" because the French company Thales bid €300 million, but was blocked from purchasing Atlas on national security grounds.[1]
Airbus Defence and Space announcement sale its remaining shares in Atlas Elektronik to ThyssenKrupp on 12 January 2017. The merge of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Atlas Elektronik was completed on 3 April 2017.[2]
The group also includes the associated subsidiariesCybicom Atlas Defence (South Africa) andAdvanced Lithium Systems (Greece)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
