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Armed with a broad array of capabilities and products, France's Aerospatiale Matra is working to expand its role in Defense Department programs, according to a senior executive.
"We already have a strong presence on the commercial side of the U.S. market with American Eurocopter, ATR and of course through Airbus and Arianespace," Greg Bradford, the president and CEO of Aerospatiale Matra U.S., told Defense Daily during a recent interview. "We have a lot to offer, from missiles to aeronautics programs including fighter and large aircraft design capabilities, and our space technologies are excellent. But if we are going to go head-to- head against American contractors we have to have a stronger presence- -cooperatively and competitively--in this market."
The $14 billion company, formed by the early June merger between Aerospatiale and the Matra defense businesses of Lagardere, is France's leading defense and aerospace firm. The company also holds a major stake in French fighter and corporate jet builder Dassault, and is expected to eventually assume ownership of the company from the Dassault family.
Aerospatiale Matra generates about $3 billion from its U.S. sales, all of which is derived from commercial aerospace, particularly through Aerospatiale Matra's participation in the multinational Airbus Industrie and Arianespace consortia. Within the European space consortium, Aerospatiale Matra is the prime industrial architect for the successful Ariane-series launch vehicles.
Senior U.S. defense officials have been voicing increasing concern that the brisk consolidation that has reshaped the North American...