Boeing signs up European partners for missile defence

Boeing has signed two partnering agreements with European defence companies covering the field of ballistic missile defence. The first is with EADS and the second is with Alenio Spazio of Italy. Two of the world's leading aerospace and defence companies, announced an historic partnership to develop solutions in ballistic missile defence. The transatlantic team effort will focus on creating end-to-end products for global ballistic missile defence.

The agreement with EADS, the first partnering agreement between the two companies at the corporate level, was revealed on Tuesday in a joint EADS and Boeing press conference at the Farnborough Airshow. Phil Condit, Chairman and CEO of Boeing, said, "US and European industry came together today to show unity of purpose and appreciation of a common global threat. We will work together on ballistic missile defence - adding a new dimension to transatlantic co-operation."

The MOU establishes a framework for relationship in the area of global missile defence that would ultimately protect the US and its allies from global threats.

EADS CEOs, Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich said, "We believe ballistic missile defence to be an important focus in the shifting defense environment, and key to ensuring peace in the free world. EADS will bring its proven expertise to the table."

Both Boeing and EADS encouraged further transatlantic co-operation, saying that the partnership was a significant step forward in building transatlantic industrial relationships. Currently, joint Boeing-EADS teams are looking at aircraft security standardisation and exploring potential areas of co-operation in homeland security and other defence areas.

Boeing and Alenia Spazio (a Finmeccanica Company) also signed an MOU at the show to cooperate on ballistic missile defense. "The MOU provides an open framework for industrial co-operation. The intent is to establish long-term relationships between Boeing and Alenia Spazio in global missile defense," said Jim Albaugh, President and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems unit.

Giorgio Zappa, Chairman of Alenia Spazio stated: "This agreement confirms the world-wide appreciation of the level of technology achieved by Alenia Spazio in the field of secured communications, radar observation and system integration.".

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