Airbus 2015 Annual Report Download - page 75

AIRBUS GROUP REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2015 l 43 l
Informationon GroupActivities
Registration Document 2015
1.
1.1 Presentation of the Group
including optronics, radars, electronic warfare and avionics.
The defence applications business cluster is subject to carve
out. On the other hand space equipment comprising space
platform electronics such as solar arrays, power electronics,
data handling devices and gyros as well as space payload
electronics through its subsidiary TESAT-Spacecom, e.g.
amplifiers, multiplexer, switches and modulators.
The integration of expertise from various defence and space
competencies creates a broad basis of high-end technologies.
The Business Line provides mission-critical premium electronics
to all AirbusGroup platforms and is a longstanding partner of
system integrators worldwide.
In addition to supplying armed forces and security forces
directly, Electronics often acts as a subcontractor for system
integrator companies of land, sea, air or space vehicles, including
but not limited to Airbus Defence andSpace. Affordability,
innovativeness and top quality are key competitive factors,
towards external customers as well as within the Group.
In the defence business cluster, customers are military and
security forces worldwide in a market headed by big US players.
It is the world leader in missile warning systems and the German
sensor house with a major position in the radar, optronics and
electronic warfare markets.
Concerning the space business cluster, customers are satellite
prime contractors worldwide in a highly fragmented market
with over 50 different companies operating in it. Electronics’
customers are primarily system integrators, but direct sales to
end-customers are not uncommon.
The sale of the Border Security business is currently not being
pursued. A separate organisational unit will focus on delivering
the border security projects with regard to technical solutions
and building up a sustainable relationship with our customers.
For the defence electronics business AirbusGroupSE reached
an agreement with KKR, a leading global investment firm, to
sell this business with an expected closing of the transaction
in the first quarter of 2017.
Products and Services
Military Aircraft
A400M — Heavy military transport. The A400M is the most
capable all-new airlifter ever conceived and unique in its kind.
It is designed to meet the needs of the world’s Armed Forces
and other potential operators for military, humanitarian and
peacekeeping missions in the 21stcentury. The A400M does
the job of three different types of military transport and tanker
aircraft conceived for different types of missions: Tactical (short
to medium range airlifter capability with short, soft and austere
field operating performance), strategic (longer range missions
for outsized loads), as well as tanker.
A total of 174aircraft have been ordered so far by the seven
launch customer nations Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg,
Spain, Turkey, the UK and one export customer, Malaysia. Type
Certificate and Initial Operating Clearance have been achieved in
2013. Since then, 21units have been delivered to five nations by
the end of 2015. The A400M is already deployed operationally
since 2014.
Multi-role tanker transport — A330MRTT. The A330MRTT,
a derivative of the Airbus A330 family, offers military strategic air
transport as well as air-to-air refuelling capabilities. Its large tank
capacity is sufficient to supply the required fuel quantities without
the need for any auxiliary tanks. This allows the entire cargo bay
to be available for freight, with the possibility of incorporating
standard LD3 or LD6 containers, military pallets and/or any
other type of load device in use today. The A330MRTT is
equipped with state of the art refuelling systems, including an
Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS) and under-wing refuelling
pods. At the end of 2015, the A330MRTT programme has a
total of 49aircraft firm orders by seven nations, of which 26
already delivered and in service in four nations.
Eurofighter Combat Aircraft. The Eurofighter multi-role
combat aircraft (referred to as Typhoon for export outside of
Europe) has been designed to enhance fleet efficiency through
a single flying weapon system capable of fulfilling both air-to-air
and air-to-ground missions.
The Eurofighter GmbH shareholders are Airbus Defence
and Space (46% share), BAE Systems (33% share) and
Finmeccanica (21% share). With regard to series production,
the respective production work shares of the participating
partners within the Eurofighter consortium stand at 43% for
Airbus Defence andSpace, 37.5% for BAE Systems and 19.5%
for Finmeccanica. Airbus Defence andSpace develops and
manufactures the centre fuselage, flight control systems,
identification and communication sub-systems, and the right
wing and leading edge slats for all aircraft, and is in charge of
final assembly of aircraft ordered by the German and Spanish
air forces.
At the end of 2015, a total of 571Eurofighter aircraft had been
ordered by seven customers (UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria,
Saudi Arabia and Oman), with a total of 468aircraft delivered.
Production of aircraft within the core programme is scheduled
to last at least until 2018, while further export opportunities are
believed to exist worldwide.
CN235, C295 — Light and Medium military transport.
The Light and Medium military aircraft are the work horses of
military transport, conducting logistical and tactical missions
for the transport and delivery of personnel and cargo as well as
medical evacuations. The aircraft are deployed in demanding
environments (meteorological conditions, operational
complexity…) such as the search for the AirAsia flight QZ8501,
Operation Atalanta (European counter-piracy mission off the Horn
of Africa) and peacekeeping on the Sinai Peninsula. Payloads
Financial Statements 2015
11 22 33 44 55
QRegistration Document 2015
Annual Report 2015 Financial Statements 2015
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