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| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Predecessor | Airbus Military,Astrium,Cassidian [de] |
| Founded | January 2014; 11 years ago (January 2014) |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Michael Schoellhorn (CEO)[1] |
| Products | Military aircraft,launch vehicles,spacecraft |
| Services | Cyber security,Military intelligence |
| Revenue |  €11,995 million (2024) |
 €(656) million (2024) | |
| Total assets | €22,582 million (2024) |
Number of employees | 36,347 (2024) |
| Parent | Airbus |
| Subsidiaries | CRISA,Spot Image,Tesat-Spacecom |
| Website | |
| Footnotes / references Financials as of 31 December 2024[update]. References:[2] | |
Airbus Defence and Space is thedefence andspace systems subsidiary ofAirbus. Formed in 2014 during the restructuring of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, the predecessor of Airbus. The subsidiary consists of the company's the formerAirbus Military,Astrium, andCassidian [de] divisions.[3] Contributing 21% ofAirbus revenues in 2016, it is the second largest space company in the world.[4][5]
Plans have been announced to merge the Space Systems and Space Digital divisions of Airbus Defence and Space,Telespazio, andThales Alenia Space into a new joint venture owned by Airbus (35%),Leonardo (32.5%), andThales (32.5%). The combined entity would have had an estimated annual turnover of €6.5 billion. If approved by regulators, the new company is expected to be operational in 2027.[6]
As early as 1995, the German aerospace and defence companyDaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and its British counterpartBritish Aerospace were said to be eager to create a transnational aerospace and defence company.[7] The two companies envisaged including the French corporationAérospatiale — another major European aerospace company — in the project, but only after its privatization, as it was owned by the French state.[8] However, the merger faltered, and British Aerospace abandoned the DASA merger in favour of purchasing its domestic rival,Marconi Electronic Systems, which was the electronics division ofGeneral Electric Company.[9] The merger of British Aerospace and MES to formBAE Systems was announced on 19 January 1999 and completed on 30 November.[10][11]
DASA and the Spanish aircraft companyCASA agreed to merge on 11 June 1999.[12] On 14 October 1999 DASA agreed to merge withAérospatiale (which had itself merged with the French conglomerateMatra to becomeAérospatiale-Matra earlier that year) to create the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company.[13] 10 July 2000 was "Day One" for the new company, which became the world's second-largest aerospace company afterBoeing and the second-largest Europeanarms manufacturer after BAE Systems.[14] In January 2001 Airbus Industries was transformed from an inherently dysfunctional consortium structure to a formal joint stock company, with legal and tax procedures being finalized on 11 July.[15][16]
On 16 June 2003, EADS acquired BAE's 25% share inAstrium, the satellite and space system manufacturer, to become the sole owner. EADS paid £84 million for the deal. However, due to the loss-making status of BAE, EADS invested an equal amount for "restructuring".[17] It was subsequently renamedAstrium, and had the divisionsAstrium Satellites,Astrium Space Transportation andAstrium Services.
On 1 July 2003, EADS Defence and Security Systems was founded with the merger of the activities of missile systems (LFK), defence electronics, military aircraft and telecommunications of the EADS Group. Tom Enders became the first CEO of the new division.
Airbus Defence and Space has its main office inTaufkirchen,Germany[18] and is led by chief executive officer Michael Schoellhorn.[1] The company consists of three program lines: Military Air Systems (MiAS), Connected Intelligence (CI) and Space Systems.
The predecessor company was established in January 1999 as the Airbus Military Company SAS to manage theAirbus A400M project, taking over from theEuroflag consortium. In May 2003, the company was restructured as Airbus Military Sociedad Limitada (AMSL) prior to the execution of the production contract. The Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTAD) was a division of EADS that designs, manufactures and commercializesEADS-CASA light and medium transport aircraft, headquartered inMadrid, Spain.[19] In 1999, Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) in the EADS Group (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) was incorporated. In Spain, it is still referred to as EADS-CASA. The EADS-CASA division Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTA division) was also responsible for the development, production and sales of the leichten- and medium Transport and utility aircraft within the EADS Group. On 16 December 2008, EADS announced that the Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTA division) and Airbus Military SL (AMSL) as a new business unit in the Airbus SAS integrated.Airbus Military was formally created in April 2009 by the integration of the former Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTAD) and Airbus Military Sociedad Limitada (AMSL) into Airbus. The division manufactured tanker, transport, and mission aircraft, includingAirbus A330 MRTT,Airbus A400M,CASA C-212 Aviocar,CASA/IPTN CN-235 andEADS CASA C-295. After the merger, it also acquired the production ofEurofighter Typhoon, which was earlier under Cassidian.Eurocopter, which was previously under Airbus Military, was reorganized asAirbus Helicopters.
Astrium was formed in 2000 by the merger ofMatra Marconi Space (itself formed from French and British companies) with the space division ofDaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG andComputadores Redes e Ingeniería SA. Henceforth Astrium was a joint venture between EADS andBAE Systems. On 16 June 2003 the minority shareholder, BAE Systems, sold its 25% share to EADS, making EADS the sole shareholder. Astrium becameEADS Astrium Satellites and in a wider restructuring became the major constituent ofEADS Astrium, which also includedEADS Astrium Space Transportation andEADS Astrium Services. In this restructuring the former Astrium Space Infrastructure division merged with EADS Launchers & Vehicles division to form EADS SPACE Transportation, which became later EADS Astrium Space Transportation. Also,Paradigm Secure Communications, initially created by Astrium in the frame of theSkynet 5 contract for the UKMinistry of defence became the major constituent of EADS SPACE Services. CASA Espacio became part of EADS Astrium on 1 January 2004. EADS Astrium was the sole shareholder ofInfoterra Ltd. On 1 July 2006, the French subsidiary of EADS Astrium, EADS Astrium SAS, merged with other French subsidiaries of EADS Space (especially EADS Space Transportation).
EADS Defence & Security Systems was founded on 1 July 2003. In it, the activities of missile systems (LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH), defence electronics, military aircraft andtelecommunications of the EADS Group were merged. On 17 September 2010 the company name was changed to Cassidian, an amalgamation of the Latin words Cassida (helmet) and meridian. It focused on worldwide protection and security. Cassidian was further subdivided intoMissiles (missile systems), defence Electronics (defence electronics, such as sensors, electronics and mission avionics), Cassidian Air Systems (production and maintenance of military aircraft)Defence & Communication Systems (defence and Communications Systems) and Services (military service). In 2012 a new division was incorporated as Cassidian Cybersecurity GmbH, headquartered in Ottobrunn.
Airbus Defence and Space was formed in 2013 as a result of the merger ofAstrium, Cassidian, and theAirbus Military divisions of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) which was itself reorganized asAirbus.[20] On 1 January 2014, the parent company EADS was restructured asAirbus, comprising threesubsidiary companies that include Airbus Defence and Space,Airbus, andAirbus Helicopters.[21]
On 16 September 2014, after a detailed and comprehensive portfolio assessment, Airbus Defence and Space defined Space (Launchers & Satellites), Military Aircraft, Missiles and related Systems and Services as its future core businesses. Some business areas were identified as divestment candidates as they did not fit the strategic goals for the company. Under this plan, the commercial and para-public communication business (including Professional Mobile Radio and commercial satellite communications services activities) was divested. Subsidiaries and J.V. including Fairchild Communications, Rostock System-Technik, AVdef, ESG and Atlas Electronik were divested.[22] On 18 March 2016 the company decided to sell its defence electronics business (Defence Electronics) based in Ulm toKohlberg Kravis Roberts, a global investment firm with a wide-ranging portfolio includingHospital Corporation of America,NXP Semiconductors,TDC A/S, andDollar General.[23] From January 1, 2017. the group reorganized under the brand name of "Airbus". The subsidiariesAirbus,Airbus Helicopters and Airbus Defence and Space became operating divisions of the same company.[24]
In April 2022, Airbus Defence and Space acquired theGerman-based cryptography and communication systems company, DSI Datensicherheit GmbH.[25]
| Dec 1970 | Jan 1992 | July 2000 | Sep 2000 | Jan 2001 | Dec 2006 | Apr 2009 | Sep 2010 | Jan 2014 | May 2015 | Jan 2017 | Apr 2017 | ||
| European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company NV | Airbus Group NV | Airbus Group SE | Airbus SE | ||||||||||
| Airbus Industrie GIE | Airbus SAS | ||||||||||||
| Airbus Military SAS | Airbus Defence and Space SAS | ||||||||||||
| EADS Defence and Security | Cassidian SAS | ||||||||||||
| Astrium SAS | EADS Astrium SAS | ||||||||||||
| Eurocopter SA | Eurocopter SAS | Airbus Helicopters SAS | |||||||||||
Airbus Defence and Space is structured into three business lines:[26]
_(ASY)_EC-330_-_MSN_747_-_Will_be_A39-001_(2974213502).jpg)
TheA330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is anaerial refueling aircraft based on theAirbus A330 airliner. It has been ordered by multiple operators, including theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF),Royal Saudi Air Force,United Arab Emirates Air Force,Royal Air Force (RAF), andRepublic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). A variant, theEADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45, was proposed for theUnited States Air Force.
TheAirbus A400M Atlas is a four-engine turbopropmilitary transport aircraft designed fortactical airlift and limitedstrategic airlift missions. It serves as a replacement for aircraft such as theTransall C-160 and theLockheed C-130 Hercules, and bridges the gap between the C-130 and theBoeing C-17 Globemaster III. The A400M can also use rough landing strips, performaerial refueling andmedical evacuation when appropriately equipped.[27][28][29]
TheCASA C-212 Aviocar is a turbopropSTOL medium transport aircraft originally developed byConstrucciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) inSpain for civil and military use. It has also been produced under licence byIndonesian Aerospace (previously known as IPTN).
TheCASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engine transport aircraft jointly developed by CASA and IPTN. It is used formaritime patrol,surveillance, andair transport, withTurkey being its largest operator.
TheEADS CASA C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft originally developed by CASA.
ThePanavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine,variable-sweep wingmulti-role combat aircraft, developed byPanavia Aircraft, a consortium of Airbus (42.5%),BAE Systems (42.5%) andLeonardo (15%) with theNATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) acting as the prime customer. Near a thousand Tornado aircraft were manufactured between 1979 and 1998.
TheEurofighter Typhoon is atwin-engine,canard-delta wing, multi-role combat aircraft developed byEurofighter GmbH, a consortium of Airbus (46%), BAE Systems (33%) and Leonardo (21%) with the NETMA acting as the prime customer.[30][31][32]
The New Generation Fighter (NGF) is under development as part of theFuture Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. Airbus is also developing the Airbus Future Jet Trainer (AFJT) as a trainer for FCAS operations.[33][34]
Tracker is a short-range miniunmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with two low noise electric engines operated by a two-man team. This fully automatic unmanned aircraft can be deployed in all weather conditions, flat terrain, mountainous areas or urban environments.
Barracuda is a multi-sensor system, designed as a demonstrator for test missions such as fast reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting and battle damage assessment, and is used as a testbed for future aerial systems technologies and procedures.
European HALE RPAS is a long-endurance UAV system designed for surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition. The main purpose of the European UAS is to provide wide-area ground and maritime surveillance along with reconnaissance of specific areas.
Euro Hawk was based on theNorthrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk and was to be equipped with an Airbus Defence and Space-builtsignal intelligence package; it was intended to fulfil Germany's requirement to replace their agingDassault-BreguetAtlantique electronic surveillance aircraft of theMarineflieger (the German naval air arm). The Airbus sensor package is composed of six wing-mounted pods;[35] reportedly these sensor pods could potentially be used on other platforms, including manned aircraft.
DVF 2000 VT is a short-range mini UAV with a low noise electric motor. It is an unmanned aircraft for maritime and land surveillance.
KZO is a tactical UAV with a two-stroke gasoline engine. It is an unmanned aircraft for high-speed reconnaissance missions. The gathered information is immediately available and can quickly be distributed in the command structure.
Harfang is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV for joint armed forces. It can fulfil a wide range of missions, from surveillance to sensitive peacekeeping. Harfang provides real-time information and can be controlled either manually from the ground control station or autonomously.
ATLANTE is a tactical UAV for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions by day and night for ground forces.
In March 2023, Airbus announced the company have achieved in-flight autonomous guidance and control of a drone using an A310 MRTT. The company stated the aim of the technology is to achieve Autonomous Air-to-Air refueling (A4R) and Autonomous Formation Flight for the development of future aerial operations for both manned and unmanned assets.[36]
In June 2024, Airbus unveiled a mock for theAirbus Wingman, an unmannedloyal wingman fighter aircraft designed to accompany theEurofighter Typhoon, at the 2024ILA Berlin Air Show.[37]
Airbus Defence and Space has a series of experimental aircraft calledZephyr, to which they are specifically a series of lightweight solar-poweredUAV originally designed and built in 2003 by theBritish companyQinetiQ.[38] The development of the aircraft is ongoing and currently part of the Airbus High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) programme.[39] It is intended to provide both surveillance and connectivity solutions for months at a time.[40]
In May 2016, Airbus and Safran agreed that their joint venture would work on upgrading theM51 submarine-launched ballistic missile to the M51.3 standard for the French Navy.[41]
Ariane is a series of a European civilianexpendable launch vehicles for space launch operated from 1973 onwards. It is a collaboration between France, Germany and the UK. The Ariane project was code-named L3S (the French abbreviation for third-generation substitution launcher). TheEuropean Space Agency (ESA) charged the EADS subsidiaryAstrium, presently Airbus Defence and Space, with the development of all Ariane launchers and of the testing facilities, whileArianespace, a 32.5%CNES commercial subsidiary created in 1980, handles production, operations and marketing. Arianespace launches Ariane rockets from theGuiana Space Centre atKourou inFrench Guiana.[42]Ariane 5 completed its 74th consecutive successful mission in October 2016.[43]
Automated Transfer Vehicle, originally Ariane Transfer Vehicle (ATV), was an expendablecargo spacecraft developed by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA).[44] ATVs supplied theInternational Space Station (ISS) with propellant, water, air, payloads, and experiments. ATVs alsoreboosted the station into a higherorbit.
Columbus is a science laboratory that is part of theInternational Space Station (ISS) and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by the European Space Agency (ESA). The functional architecture (including software) of the lab was designed by Airbus Defence and Space inBremen,Germany where it was also integrated before being flown to theKennedy Space Center (KSC) inFlorida in anAirbus Beluga. It was launched aboardSpace ShuttleAtlantis on 7 February 2008 on flightSTS-122.
TheOrion service module is theservice module component of theOrion spacecraft, serving as its primary power and propulsion component until it is discarded at the end of each mission. In January 2013,NASA announced that theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) will construct the service module forArtemis 1, replacing the previous design. Based on ESA'sAutomated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), the new design is also known as the European service module (ESM). The service module supports the crew module from launch through separation prior to reentry. It provides in-space propulsion capability for orbital transfer, attitude control, and high-altitude ascent aborts. It provides the water and oxygen needed for a habitable environment, generates and stores electrical power, and maintains the temperature of the vehicle's systems and components. This module can also transport unpressurized cargo and scientific payloads.
Euclid (developed jointly withThales Alenia Space) is a space mission currently under development by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA). The objective of Euclid is to better understanddark energy anddark matter by accurately measuring theacceleration of the universe. To achieve this, the spacecraft will measure theredshift of galaxies at varying distances from Earth and investigate the relationship between distance and redshift.
LISA Pathfinder, formerly Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology-2 (SMART-2), is anESA spacecraft that was launched on 3 December 2015.[45] The mission will test technologies needed for theEvolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA), an ESAgravitational wave observatory planned to be launched in 2034. The scientific phase started on 8 March 2016 and will last 6 months.[46]
Gaia is aspace observatory of theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) designed forastrometry.[47][48] The mission aims to construct the largest and most precise 3D space catalog ever made and totaling approximately 1 billionastronomical objects, mainly stars but also planets, comets, asteroids and quasars among others.
Solar Orbiter (SolO) is aSun-observingsatellite, developed by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA). The mission was launched with anAtlas V from the Cape Canaveral AFS inFlorida at 5:03Central European Time (CET) on 10 February 2020.[49] SolO is intended to perform detailed measurements of the innerheliosphere and nascentsolar wind, and perform close observations of the polar regions of the Sun, which is difficult to do fromEarth, both serving to answer the question 'How does the Sun create and control the heliosphere?' The Solar Orbiter will make observations of the Sun from an eccentric orbit moving as close as ~60solar radii (RS), or 0.284astronomical units (AU), placing it insideMercury's perihelion of 0.3075 AU and providing it with the closest ever views of the Sun.[50]
TheExoMars rover is a planned roboticMars rover, part of the internationalExoMars programme led by theEuropean Space Agency and the RussianRoscosmos State Corporation.[51][52] The plan calls for a Russian launch vehicle, an ESA carrier module and aRussian lander that will deploy the rover to Mars's surface.[53] TheExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, launched in 2016, will operate as the rover's data-relay satellite.[54] The spacecraft was scheduled to launch in July 2020.[55]
BepiColombo is a joint mission of theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) and theJapan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) to the planetMercury.[56] The mission comprises two satellites which were launched together: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). The mission will perform a comprehensive study on Mercury, including itsmagnetic field,magnetosphere, interior structure and surface. The launch on anAriane 5 took place on 20 October 2018.[57] The mission was approved in February 2007 as part of theCosmic Vision programme.
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is an activeEuropean Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft designed by Airbus Defence and Space to visit theJovian system, focused on studying three of Jupiter'sGalilean moons:Ganymede,Callisto, andEuropa (excluding the more volcanically activeIo).[58] It will characterize these three worlds, all of which are thought to have significant bodies of liquid water beneath their surfaces, making thempotentially habitable environments. The selection of this mission for the L1 launch slot of ESA'sCosmic Vision science programme was announced on 2 May 2012.[59] It is currently in its cruise phase.
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Venus Express was the firstVenus exploration mission of theEuropean Space Agency (ESA). Launched in November 2005, it arrived at Venus in April 2006 and began continuously sending back science data from its polar orbit around Venus.[60][61] Equipped with seven scientific instruments, the main objective of the mission was the long-term observation of the Venusianatmosphere. The observation over such long periods of time had never been done in previous missions to Venus and was key to a better understanding of the atmospheric dynamics.
Mars Express is aspace exploration mission being conducted by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA).[62] The Mars Express mission is exploring the planetMars and is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency.[63]
Rosetta was aspace probe built by theEuropean Space Agency launched on 2 March 2004. Along withPhilae, its lander module,Rosetta performed a detailed study ofcomet67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P).[64][65] During its journey to the comet, the spacecraftflew by Mars and theasteroids21 Lutetia and2867 Šteins.[66][67]
Airbus Defence and Space is the world's largest supplier of Earth observation systems with more than fifty satellites launched and 18 more under construction.[68][69] The following are some of their artificial satellites
Some of the major satellite systems built are:Envisat (the world's largest civilian Earth observation satellite.[70]),Earth Explorers such asGOCE,GRACE,Swarm,EarthCARE,Sentinel Missions,MetOp andMetOp-SG.
Airbus Defence and Space has manufactured over a hundred communications satellites.[71]
Eurostar: Used for a series of spacecraft providing telecommunications services in geosynchronous orbit (GEO). More than 70 Eurostar satellites have been ordered to date, of which more than 55 have been successfully launched since October 1990 and have proven highly reliable in operational service. In December 2013, the Eurostar satellites accumulated 500 years of successful operations in orbit.[72] TheEurostar spacecraft series is designed for a variety of telecommunications needs, including fixed services and broadcast, mobile services, broadband and secured communications.
Some of the major telecommunication satellites built are:Alphabus, theEutelsat series, theAstra series, theHispasat series, theInmarsat series, and theUK militarySkynet series.
Airbus Defence and Space Spaceplane was asuborbitalspaceplane concept for carryingspace tourists, proposed by Airbus Defence and Space. A full-sizemockup was officially unveiled inParis, France, on 13 June 2007,[73] and is now on display in the Concorde hall of theMusée de l'Air et de l'Espace.[74] The project was the first space tourism entry by a major aerospace contractor.
Airbus Defence and Space also produces commercial versions of its proprietaryrocket engines such asHM7B,Aestus,Vinci, andVulcain.[75]
Airbus Defence and Space launched One Atlas in October 2016, a new satellite image basemap which covers the earth landmasses with imagery.[76][77] The images available viaGoogle Drive can be accessed around the clock and are refreshed within a 12-month period. One Atlas was developed for defence or security missions and operations, for example, assisting in the mapping, reporting, and updating of positions, movements, or risk areas, but also providing intelligence when selecting transportation routes and access points.
On 9 January 2024 Airbus Defence and Space announced the formation of Starlab Space LLC, a joint venture with Voyager Space to design, construct and operate theStarlab commercial space station.[78]
Major European Airbus Defence and Space sites are located in the following places:[79]
Airbus Defence and Space announced in September 2022 that it would establish a research facility atLot Fourteen,Adelaide,South Australia, in October, with the aim of developing new satellites for theAustralian Defence Force.[80]
British engineers are preparing to push the limits of aeroplane technology
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