Competition and strategic alliances (VI)

AMSTERDAM As announced, the German-French enterprise EADS, the world's second largest aviation, space travel and armament consortium, begins its expansion into the United State's armaments market, displacing its main competitor Boeing. At the same time, the group extends its co-operation with Russian companies, which shall - especially in space travel - strengthen the consortium's position of independence vis a vis the USA.

,,We are determined to extend our role in the US-economy", the company stated at the start of building the first plant of the EADS subsidiary, Eurocopter,in the USA. The world's largest producer of helicopters is going to produce for the US market in Columbus, Mississippi. With a market share of 48 percent Eurocopter already surpasses Boeing. Currently paramilitary US units of police, coastguard and the National Guard purchase their helicopters from the German-French competitor.

The next new plant of EADS is to be built in Alaska to produce a crash avoidance system for the US military. At the moment the Pentagon considers ordering the system, which had been developed for the German Federal Border Guard. After announcing the construction of a plant for the military version of the Airbus in the USA, the consortium now announces plans for the final assembly of the civilian Airbus in the USA.

The consortium expects good prospects for further expansion in Russia, which has shown ,,very promising"developments since the end of the 1990s: ,,Russia is going to reorganize its aviation and space industry, setting its course for the future."At the approaching aviation and space travel fair in Moscow, EADS and the Russian space travel company, CADB, are going to reinforce their further technological co-operation in propulsion systems for space shuttles. Berlin and the EU want to develop militarized EU space travel in which EADS will play a central role, with as much independence as possible of the world power rival USA, by striving for closer co-operation with Russia. 1)

1) See also earlier article ,,Reorganisation"of the European space program

Sources:
Eurocopter errichtet erstes Montagewerk in Amerika; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 05.08.2003
Airbus drängt nach Amerika; Die Welt 09.08.2003
Bei EADS füllen sich die Auftragsbücher; Financial Times Deutschland 12.08.2003
EADS und Russen arbeiten zusammen; Süddeutsche Zeitung 13.08.2003


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