Andy Nativi/GENOA
Finmeccanica and its Alenia Aerospazio subsidiary are coming under increasing pressure to participate in the financing, development and production of the Airbus Industrie A3XX superjumbo. Airbus president Noel Forgeard visited Finmeccanica Rome last month, and says he thinks the company should take a final decision on joining the project before year end.
Though Forgeard claims he has not issued "ultimatums", he has warned that the A3XX represents Alenia's last chance to join a major Airbus programme, with no other big projects planned in the medium term. On offer is a 8-10% workshare in the A3XX, costing up to $1.1 billion.
Airbus is putting together a proposal including both project development responsibilities and production work, with the latter likely to be focused on the modern Alenia Nola plant near Naples. Negotiations are continuing, with the Italian side pressing for a deal that will offer significant returns.
Finmeccanica is also negotiating Alenia's entry into the Airbus company itself, the two processes inevitably being linked.
The perceived pressure from Airbus is unwelcome in Italy, sources say, where attitudes are coloured by the failure of the 1997 agreement which should have brought Alenia closer to Airbus. Finmeccanica has other options: its partnership with Boeing - which includes manufacture of the entire 717 fuselage, plus 767 and 777 components - could be developed, or it could take a modest stake in the A3XX and try to work with both airframers as a qualified supplier and subcontractor.
The development of a relationship with Bombardier, perhaps around the 100-seat BRJX, is also possible, but could further complicate relations with the two giants. Alternatively, Alenia could yet be invited to join a French consortium, including Airbus partner Aerospatiale Matra (now part of EADS), which has invested in the Canadian company's competitor Embraer.
Source: Flight International
