BAE Systems and German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall have agreed to split up their electronics joint venture STN Atlas.
Rheinmetall will take over the land and air systems division (making fire control equipment) and the simulation division, to be renamed Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, while BAE will keep the marine division, which manufactures marine navigation, communication, power and control equipment.
BAE's share will be renamed Atlas Elektronik.
The European Commission approved the split last month, saying it would not give Rheinmetall undue market dominance. Atlas Elektronik had pro- forma sales of €250 million ($281 million) and €22 million profit before interest last year, says BAE.
STN Atlas's land and air systems division is involved in Eurofighter Typhoon simulator development, unmanned air vehicles with Sagem of France and the Airbus A380 cargo loading system, among other programmes.
Source: Flight International
