Julian Moxon/PARIS
Sextant Avionique and Dassault Electronique have agreed details of their new joint venture, which will operate under the name CNS Avionics within a French GIE structure similar to the consortium arrangement used for Airbus Industrie.
The two companies will continue to market their own avionics lines, with the GIE looking for "-new markets and taking new products developments through to certification". It will also ensure that there is no duplication, they say.
CNS Avionics aims to provide a full communications, navigation and surveillance capability, including existing products such as multimode receivers, radio equipment and flight data recorders as well as those now entering the market, such as a new ground collision avoidance system, mode S transponder and a new flight management system.
Meanwhile, shares in Dassault Electronique have been suspended following a formal offer from Thomson-CSF to take over the company under the plan agreed by the French Government for its defence electronics industry. That also involves Alcatel's space and Aerospatiale's satellites businesses.
Under the deal, which values Dassault Electronique at Fr3.56 billion ($610 million), public shareholders will be offered new Thomson-CSF shares or a cash alternative. Some 39% of Dassault Electronique is publicly floated, with a majority 56.3% in the hands of the Dassault Industries holding company and another 4.7% in another family business. Approval for the deal is due on 22 June at Thomson-CSF's general assembly.
Thomson-CSF ownership will ultimately be split between the French Government (42.9%), the stock market (28.7%), Alcatel (16.4%), Dassault Industries (about 6%) and Aerospatiale ( 4%).
Source: Flight International
