This missile maker is racing to rearm Europe
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. SELLES-SAINT-DENIS, France—In a vast factory surrounded by forest, workers here are assembling the missiles that will help rearm Europe and supply Ukraine. Europe’s ability to wean itself off a post-Cold War reliance on U.S.
military power largely depends on factories like this MBDA facility in central France, and how fast they can ramp up production after years of no urgency. The question is, will the company—and Europe more broadly—be able to increase capacity to make that happen? President Trump has pushed European countries to spend more on defense. The U.S.’s now reversed decision to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons has also reignited concerns that Europe needs to have sovereignty over arms for fear the same could happen to them.
Increases in European military spending since Russia invaded Ukraine have swelled the order books of the region’s defense companies. But those businesses have so far struggled to keep up with demand, leaving Europe dependent on U.S. imports.
“We are at a moment where time matters, volume matters and speed matters," said Éric Béranger, chief executive of MBDA, one of the world’s largest missile manufacturers. “We are living through historical moments." To meet the moment, MBDA is racing to bolster its manufacturing base. On Monday, the company said it would invest $2.7 billion to boost production between 2023 and 2028, as it works to fulfill a roughly $40 billion order book.
Read on livemint.com