Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus Defence and Space
Name	Airbus Defence and Space
Type	Division
Industry	Aerospace, Defence (military), Space industry
Predecessor	EADS Astrium, EADS Defence & Security, Cassidian
Founded	01 January 2014
Founder	Airbus Group
Hq location	Taufkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
Key people	Michael Schoellhorn (CEO)
Products	Military aircraft, Spacecraft, Satellite, Missile, Unmanned aerial vehicle
Parent	Airbus
Num employees	~34,000
Website	https://www.airbus.com/en/space

Contents

History
Organization and divisions
Products and services
Major projects and programmes
Facilities and locations
See also

Airbus Defence and Space. It is a major division of the European aerospace corporation Airbus, formed in 2014 through the merger of the group's defence and space entities. The division is a leading global provider of military aircraft, space systems, and related services, operating across the domains of air, space, and connected intelligence. It plays a pivotal role in European defence cooperation and is a key industrial partner for institutions like the European Space Agency and NATO.

History

The division's origins trace back to the constituent companies of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), formed in 2000 from Aérospatiale-Matra, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA), and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). Key predecessors include EADS Astrium, focused on space systems, and the defence electronics units that later became Cassidian. A major restructuring in 2014 under Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders consolidated Astrium, Cassidian, and Airbus Military into a single entity. This integration aimed to streamline operations and better compete with American rivals like Lockheed Martin and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Significant milestones include the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, alongside a long heritage in launchers like the Ariane series and satellites for Galileo.

Organization and divisions

The business is structured into three primary operational lines: **Air Power**, **Space Systems**, and **Connected Intelligence**. The **Air Power** segment encompasses military aircraft, including the final assembly of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the A400M Atlas, along with services like training and support. **Space Systems** is responsible for civil and defence space infrastructure, including satellites, orbital systems, and launchers, with major sites in Friedrichshafen, Toulouse, and Stevenage. The **Unmanned Aerial Systems and secure communications networks. Overall leadership is provided by CEO Michael Schoellhorn, with key facilities and leadership spread across its main home countries of Germany, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.

Products and services

Its portfolio includes a wide array of defence and space hardware and services. In military aviation, core products are the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, the A400M Atlas strategic airlifter, and the Light Combat Aircraft Mako concept. The division is also a prime contractor for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) alongside Dassault Aviation. In space, it manufactures telecommunications satellites like Eurostar, Earth observation satellites such as the Pleiades constellation, and scientific spacecraft for missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and Rosetta. It provides launch services through the Ariane 6 and Vega programmes and operates the Skynet military communications network. Additional offerings include missile systems, UAVs like the Barracuda, and comprehensive cyber security solutions.

Major projects and programmes

The division is involved in several landmark European cooperative programmes. In defence, it is a core partner in the multinational Eurofighter Typhoon consortium and the sole prime contractor for the A400M Atlas programme involving Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. It leads one of the two industrial pillars of the next-generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS) alongside Dassault Aviation and Indra Sistemas. In space, it is the industrial prime for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle development for the European Space Agency and a key contractor for the European Union's Galileo global navigation system. Other significant projects include the MetOp meteorological satellites for EUMETSAT and the military telecommunications satellite system COMSATBw for the Bundeswehr.

Facilities and locations

Major industrial sites are spread across Europe, reflecting its multinational heritage. In Germany, primary locations include Taufkirchen (corporate headquarters), Friedrichshafen (space systems centre), Manching (Eurofighter final assembly and upgrades), and Bremen (spacecraft integration). In France, key sites are Toulouse (space systems headquarters and A400M final assembly) and Les Mureaux (ballistic missiles and space equipment). Significant United Kingdom facilities are in Stevenage (spacecraft manufacturing), Portsmouth (satellite communications), and RAF Brize Norton (A400M operational support). In Spain, major centres are located in Madrid, Getafe (military aircraft), and Seville (A400M assembly). Additional important sites operate in Ottobrunn, Munich, and Lampoldshausen.