Code name: “Project Bromo”. Behind the name of this Indonesian volcano hides a project aimed at creating a European and autonomous giant in satellites, modeled on the missile manufacturer MBDA owned by Airbus, Leonardo and BAE Systems. Such an alliance could bring together Airbus, Thales and Leonardo.
Europe's main satellite makers, facing a sector marked by heavy losses and the rapid growth of Elon Musk's Starlink network, have until now been content to say they plan to work together. Although still at an early stage, talks have progressed enough for a code name to be assigned within Airbus, and for a preferred structure to be put in place with a new company combining satellite assets rather than one partner buying each other's assets, the sources said. One of them adds that such a project could take time, particularly due to years of inaction.
Roberto Cingolani, Leonardo's chief executive, told Reuters the talks involved various technical discussions and confirmed the planned structure would be based on MBDA's model. “The MBDA model is under discussion, but the technical aspects of governance could be different,” he said. “That’s the one (the model), it’s difficult for it to be otherwise,” he said on the sidelines of an event in Rome.
According to Roberto Cingolani, satellites represent 75% of the space economy.
Airbus and Thales declined to comment on the alliance.
Layoffs in sight
These discussions between major European space companies come as Airbus is due to present to unions details of job cuts in the space and defense sectors on December 4 and 5. The French group announced in October that it planned to cut up to 2,500 jobs in its defense and space division (Airbus Defense and Space) by mid-2026. Thales is also in talks with unions regarding the elimination of 1,300 positions in the space sector.
The bulk of the job cuts at Airbus are expected to be in the space systems business, worth 2 billion euros and which faced recent charges of 1.5 billion euros, they said. industrial sources.
While most of Airbus' operations are in France, the defense and space division's sites in Germany are also likely to be reduced, while fears are also being expressed in Britain and Spain.
For the four founding countries of Airbus, cost reduction is a politically sensitive subject.
With Reuters (Tim Hepher and Giulia Segreti; French version Etienne Breban, edited by Kate Entringer)
