Julian Moxon/PARIS
The president of Alenia's defence division, Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, has rejected an invitation to become a shareholder in Aerospatiale and has questioned the French Government's "logic" in its approach to restructuring the European missiles industry.
In French financial daily Les Echos, Guarguaglini says Alenia wants to join a larger missiles grouping with an equal share to that of the other members. "There is no question of giving our missiles business to Aerospatiale in return for shares," he says.
Alenia is about to sign a missiles, radar and naval equipment tie-up with GEC-Marconi and Guarguaglini reveals that a decision on whether the new alliance will join the Aerospatiale/Thomson-CSF missiles alliance, or that of Matra-BAe, will be taken by the end of the year. He adds, however, that GEC-Marconi and Alenia are also looking "to partnerships in the USA".
Guarguaglini criticises France for a logic "-that we don't totally understand" on the regrouping of the European missiles industry. He says: "Several months ago, we were told that France favoured the creation of two distinct national missiles groupings. Now, Matra and Aerospatiale are each telling us that they will be the leaders of a single grouping - while others are telling us that the original plan remains."
Behind the scenes, the French Government is encouraging Matra, already teamed in a missiles company with BAe and Dasa subsidiary LFK, to become a shareholder in Aerospatiale as part of a deal in which a common missiles subsidiary would be created, although an industry source says that the idea is "-only one of many".
Aerospatiale's main unions have complicated the issue by repeating threats to blockade Airbus and Arianespace production centres in France if the management continues "dismantling" the company.
Source: Flight International
