Oh Goody!!!

Jane's 'reports' below.

Failed to note that these mergers give the 
gun-runners unprecedented political/economic power.

The bigger they are, the tougher they are to stop.

Alenia's integration with EADS "proceeding well"

By Paul Beaver

EADS, the European aerospace and defence company, is set to grow during the next three months when the military aircraft elements of Alenia Aerospazio are merged into the group. "Work with EADS
is proceeding well, but mergers can take time even if the strategy is decided," Carmelo Cosentino, Alenia Aerospazio's senior vice-president, told the Show Daily.

"Alenia has used the time wisely to better define the way in which the company will fit together. We have now fine tuned the financial and administration matters, which were not as complicated as we thought," he added.

Cosentino hopes the new arrangements, dubbed the European Military Aircraft Company (EMAC) - "this is a temporary name" - will not have complicated management structures. "We want a balance," he explained, "with Alenia management and EADS managers; we know we don't want duplication as that's ineffective and a waste of money."

There are legal needs to be considered. Italy requires under its company law that the new company has the appropriate legal identity. "There is no European company grouping into which the new company fits comfortably," he said. "Germany, Spain and Italy all have this requirement.

"Actually, this fits Eurofighter and the corporate arrangements here will be used as a benchmark for other 'transversal' programmes. In terms of logistics support, we can turn to the way in which the Tornado programme has worked so well," Cosentino added.

Alenia brings its marketing expertise in dealing with a range of countries. "In Greece, for example, we have a close relationship and that will help Eurofighter with the Typhoon programme," he said. Eurofighter in Greece has a German lead but, in terms of transport aircraft, Cosentino does not think EADS-Deutschland has an easy task of contributing to the ATR72 military programmes, nor to the Italy-USA C-27J project.

"We need, at Alenia, to increase our representation across the world," Cosentino said. "Soon we will have offices in Brazil where there is a good relationship with Embraer, not just on AMX but other programmes," he added, referring to the Brazilian-Italian programme for a light strike/advanced training aircraft.

So when will EMAC see the light of day? "Soon, very soon," Cosentino concluded.

Big hope: ATR 72ASW has market potential across the world - 
Sweden, India and Chile have all expressed an interest

Alenia clarifies its position over EMAC

By Paul Beaver

The complex structures of European aerospace and defence companies are becoming a little clearer. In yesterday's Show Daily, the Italian partner in the future European Military Aircraft Company was described as Alenia Aerospazio; in fact, it will be the aeronautics division of Alenia.

"It is important to understand that Finmeccanica and EADS are the partners that will create the new joint venture. It gives Italy 50 per cent of the new company and 50 per cent to EADS," an Italian industry spokesman explained. "EMAC will become a separate entity from EADS and Finmeccanica, with the latter bringing together its military aircraft elements. It will encompass all the military and civil activities of Finmeccanica/Alenia Aeronautica, the combat aircraft activities of Dasa and CASA, as well as aerostructures activities of Dasa's military aircraft division."

The Show Daily understands that the structure specifically excludes the CASA transport aircraft and French interests. It does, however, include Eurofighter, Panavia, ATR and the new Maritime Patrol Aircraft business units.

NATO | Planes