Editing Matra BAe Dynamics

{{Short description|European defense manufacturer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
'''Matra BAe Dynamics''' was an Anglo-French 50/50 [[joint venture]] formed in August 1996 through a merger between half the missile business of France's [[Matra#Matra Hautes Technologies|Matra Hautes Technologies]] (the aerospace, defence and telecommunications division of the [[Matra]] conglomerate) and the missile activities of the UK's [[BAe Dynamics]] (a division of [[British Aerospace]]). During its 5 years of existence, it was Europe`s largest guided weapons company and the third largest in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BAe Dynamics, Matra agree on missile joint venture terms |url=https://aviationweek.com/bae-dynamics-matra-agree-missile-joint-venture-terms |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=aviationweek.com |publisher=[[Aviation Week Network]]}}</ref>

British Aerospace had previously sought to merge its missile business with that of France's [[Thomson-CSF]] (now [[Thales Group]]). The companies announced their plan to create a new combined company called '''Eurodynamics''' in 1989. However, after more than a year of [[monopoly]] investigations, the deal collapsed.<ref>{{cite news | first = David | last = White |author2=Betts, Paul | title = Missiles industry locks on new course: The move to joint ventures in Europe's arms sector | work = Financial Times | publisher = The Financial Times Limited | page = 19 | date = 1993-05-05 }}</ref> The formation of Matra BAe Dynamics was followed in 1997 by the acquisition of a 30% share in [[MBDA Deutschland GmbH|LFK]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ott |first=James |date=February 23, 1998 |title=Missiles Consolidation |url=https://aviationweek.com/missiles-consolidation |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=aviationweek.com |publisher=Aviation Week Network}}</ref>

In 1999, the other half of Matra Hautes Technologies' missile business (Matra Missiles) combined with the missile systems division of the French corporation [[Aérospatiale]] to form '''Aérospatiale Matra Missiles''' following the merger between Aérospatiale and Matra Hautes Technologies. This new giant, [[Aérospatiale-Matra]], also gained ownership of Matra's 50% share in Matra BAe Dynamics as a result of the merger.

Matra BAe Dynamics ultimately merged with Aérospatiale Matra Missiles and the missile activities of [[Alenia Marconi Systems]] to form [[MBDA]] in December 2001.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Aerospace companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:BAE Systems subsidiaries and divisions]]
[[Category:Defence companies of France]]
[[Category:Defence companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:France–United Kingdom military relations]]
[[Category:Guided missile manufacturers]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1996]]
[[Category:Matra]]
[[Category:Multinational joint-venture companies]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in France]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1996]]

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