MBDA Pushing Wider European Defense Cooperation in Missiles
MBDA is stepping up efforts to consolidate Europe’s missile industry, on the back of last November’s Anglo-French Defence Declaration.
The UK, France, Sweden and Spain have committed to production of the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which will arm the Gripen, Rafale and Eurofighter.
The UK, France, Sweden and Spain have committed to production of the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which will arm the Gripen, Rafale and Eurofighter.

MBDA is stepping up efforts to consolidate Europe’s missile industry, on the back of last November’s Anglo-French Defence Declaration. This pact nominated the company–already a four-nation European industrial combine owned by BAE Systems (37.5 percent), EADS (37.5 percent) and Finmeccanica (25 percent)–as “a test case” for further integration, according to CEO Antoine Bouvier.

France and the UK “have accepted a certain measure of mutual dependence, because they agree that missiles are a key element of operational sovereignty, and we canÕt afford a short-term view,” Bouvier said.