Airbus

Additional Details

Airbus SE is a european aerospace corporation. While the company's primary business is the design and manufacture of commercial aircraft, it also operates separate divisions for Defence and Space and Helicopters. During the 2000s, Airbus developed the Harfang drone in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It entered service with the French Air Force in 2008. This drone model was based on IAI's Heron and Heron TP drones, which were notably used by the Israeli military in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead in 2008–2009, an operation that resulted in nearly 1,400 deaths. In 2020, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) awarded Airbus, in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a contract worth €50 million for the procurement and operation of Heron unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). These drones contribute to strengthening security at the European Union's borders through surveillance missions aimed at detecting boats carrying migrants in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2022, Airbus signed a multi-million-euro contract with Elbit Systems to equip its A330 MRTT military aircraft with infrared anti-missile protection systems. These protection systems will be installed on the fleets of several NATO countries. In 2023, a new contract was signed between Airbus and Elbit to install the same system on Canada’s A330 MRTT fleet. -- Listed on Euronext Paris (AIR), Airbus is backed by leading sovereign wealth funds, most notably NBIM, GIC and KIA .