European Aerospace Plans Under “Project Bromo” Move Forward
European aerospace leaders Leonardo, Thales and Airbus are considering forming a joint space company. The decision is expected by the end of July, according to Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani. Speaking at the Paris Airshow, he confirmed that the companies are reviewing the feasibility of the alliance under a project named “Project Bromo”, inspired by an Indonesian volcano.
The goal of this venture is to enhance Europe’s competitiveness in the satellite internet sector, especially against the growing presence of Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Key Areas Under Review
The three aerospace groups are evaluating several critical factors before proceeding. These include financial due diligence, the potential for value creation, and any European antitrust concerns that may arise. Cingolani noted that while these assessments should be completed by next month, finalising a detailed business model will take more time.
He added that the alliance may be structured in a similar way to MBDA, Europe’s leading missile manufacturer, which is jointly owned by Airbus, Leonardo, and BAE Systems. However, he pointed out that the governance of the new entity may differ slightly from that model.
Merger of Existing Ventures Being Discussed
Leonardo and Thales already collaborate in the space sector through two existing joint ventures—Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio. According to Cingolani, the companies are now considering the possibility of merging these entities into the new alliance. He stressed that all potential scenarios are currently being discussed.
Italy Pushes for Broader European Aerospace Collaboration
Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso expressed hope that discussions between Italy and France on this project could also include Germany. He noted strong alignment with Germany on many industrial issues, suggesting a wider European approach could be possible for this space initiative.
with inputs from Reuters
