European missiles group MBDA is aiming to create centres of excellence for its guided weapon families in each of its four home countries by early next decade, reversing the current discrete national manufacturing capabilities.
The ability to design, build and test guided weapons within their own borders is a strategic asset most of Europe's big countries hold dearly. But the missile house believes this element of self sufficiency is holding back its efforts to run itself efficiently as an international business.
MBDA chief executive Marwan Lahoud (pictured left) wants the company - a merger of the national missile champions of France, Italy and the UK in 2001 and which now includes a German arm - to specialise in different aspects of missile design and production across its network of sites within five years.
This “centres of excellence” approach could mean some countries losing some competencies while developing others as the missile company aims to reduce its costs by a tenth over the same period.
Speaking in Paris last night, Lahoud said the company - in which BAE Systems and EADS each have a 37.5% share and Finmeccanica 25% - plans to have “one single site per technology”, although each of the four partner countries would retain its own assembly and test centre.
Lahoud says he wants “the ability to move knowledge” between national businesses by transferring key staff. “Today, everything is forbidden by default. It would ease my life if everything which is not forbidden was allowed,” he says.
“I look forward to the day when we will be able to operate with fully international teams. My ambition is to mix teams so there is no distinction between a French person and a Brit.”
MBDA, which had revenues of €3.2 billion ($4 billion) last year, is in the process of integrating EADS-owned German missile house LFK - left out of the original MBDA merger - after its acquisition last year.
MURDO MORRISON / PARIS
An extended version of this article will appear in the 21-27 March edition of Flight International.
Video:
Below is a video of the Matra BAe Dynamics Strom Shadow / Scalp long-range, conventionally-armed, cruise missile from MBDA's corporate website.
