Airbus 2015 Annual Report Download - page 78

AIRBUS GROUP REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2015 l 46 l
Informationon GroupActivities
1.1 Presentation of the Group
Geo-Intelligence. Airbus Defence andSpace is a provider
of both optical and radar-based geo-information services to
customers including international corporations, governments
and authorities around the world.
With the very-high-resolution twin satellites Pleiades 1A and 1B,
SPOT 6 and SPOT 7, Airbus Defence andSpace’s optical satellite
constellation offers customers a high level of detail across wide
areas, a highly reactive image programming service and unique
surveillance and monitoring capabilities. Spot 6 and 7 provide
a wide picture over an area with its 60-km swath, Pleiades1A
and 1B offer, for the same zone, products with a narrower field
of view but with an increased level of detail (50cm).
The successful launch of TerraSAR-X in 2007 – a radar-based
Earth observation satellite that provides high-quality topographic
information – enabled Airbus Defence andSpace to significantly
expand its capabilities by proposing new kinds of images based
on radar. TanDEM-X, its almost identical twin, was successfully
launched in 2010 and achieved in 2014 WorldDEM, the first high
precision 3-D elevation model of the entire surface of the Earth.
Satellite Communications. Airbus Defence and Space
offers commercial, government and military satellite-based
communications.
Airbus Defence and Space provides armed forces and
governments in the UK, Germany, France and Abu Dhabi
with secure satellite communications. For example in the UK,
Airbus Defence andSpace delivers in the frame of the “Skynet5
programme” tailored end-to-end in-theatre and back-to-base
communication solutions for voice, data and video services,
ranging from a single voice channel to a complete turnkey
system incorporating terminals and network management.
This contract, pursuant to which Airbus Defence andSpace
owns and operates the UK military satellite communication
infrastructure, allows the UK MoD to place orders and to pay
for services as required. The service is fully operational since
2009 and extends to 2022.
In Abu Dhabi, Airbus Defence andSpace together with Thales
Alenia Space built a secure satellite communication system.
Airbus Defence andSpace Services is managing the programme
and supplies the space segment except for the payload, as well
as 50% of the ground segment.
In the commercial realm, subject to carve out, Airbus Defence
andSpace’s more than 200,000 end-users benefit from access
to satellite telecommunications services wherever they are in the
world. These include all maritime sectors (merchant shipping
vessels, fishing, yachting, etc.), oil, gas and mining companies,
emergency response organisations, global media companies,
telecommunication and internet service providers, and civil
aviation. Airbus Defence andSpace works with the broadest
range of network providers in the industry, including Inmarsat,
Iridium, Thuraya, Eutelsat, Intelsat,SES, Arabsat, Loral Skynet
and Satmex.
Secure Land Communications. Airbus Defence andSpace is
a provider of digital Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) and secure
networks with more than 280networks delivered in 74countries.
Its solutions for PMR enable professional organisations in
various areas — such as public safety, civil defence, transport
and industry — to communicate effectively, reliably and securely.
Airbus Defence andSpace offers its customers specialised
PMR solutions based on TetraPOL, Tetra and P25 technologies.
Airbus Defence andSpace’s PMR solutions were in use during
events like the Beijing Olympic Games, the Brazil FIFA World
Cup and the Tour de France.
Cyber Security. Airbus Defence andSpace has established a
cyber-security subsidiary to meet the growing cyber security
needs of users of critical IT infrastructure, including governments
and global companies. Airbus Defence andSpace provides
expertise and solutions to help such organisations to protect
themselves against, detect, analyse, prevent and respond to
cyber threats. Airbus Defence andSpace has a long track record
in providing the most sensitive secure IT and data handling and
training solutions to defence and security customers throughout
France, Germany, the UK and other NATO countries.
Electronics
Airbus Defence andSpace’s business line Electronics is focusing
on surveillance and reconnaissance, air traffic control, signal
intelligence, mission electronics and protection. It is a partner
in the development of airborne multi-mode radars and provides
integrated logistics support, maintenance and upgrades. It
is also involved in the development and application of next-
generation active electronically scanned (AESA) radars for air,
naval and ground applications. In the area of air defence, Airbus
Defence andSpace produces mid-range radars for ship (TRS-
3D/-4D) and land (TRML-3D) applications. Synthetic aperture
radars (SAR) for reconnaissance and surveillance operations
and airport surveillance radars (ASR-S) are also part of the
portfolio, along with the Spexer security radar family. A range
of optronics solutions completes Airbus Defence andSpace’s
offering in this field.
In the field of electronic warfare, Airbus Defence andSpace
supplies electronic protection systems for military vehicles,
aircraft and civil installations, such as laser warning, missile
warning and electronic countermeasure units. Furthermore, the
portfolio also comprises avionics equipment, such as avionics
computers, digital map units, flight data recording units and
situational awareness systems for helicopters. Transversally,
multi-sensor integration and data fusion technology is
particularly useful creating added value by combining radars
with optronic sensors and thermal imagers from Airbus Defence
andSpace’s extensive Optronics portfolio. Therein, cameras,
telescopes, thermal imaging devices and periscopes constitute
indispensable elements of situational awareness for naval,
airborne and ground-based platforms.
Financial Statements 2015
11 22 33 44 55
QRegistration Document 2015
Annual Report 2015 Financial Statements 2015