MBDA showed strong resilience in 2020 despite the global pandemic. Revenues amounted to 3,6 billion euros, with a 50% distribution between domestic and export customers. Orders in 2020 totaled € 3,3 billion, with the order book now standing at € 16,6 billion.
Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “The 2020 results represent an extraordinary success for all MBDA colleagues who have shown commitment, team spirit and capacity for innovation in guaranteeing business continuity towards their customers. I also want to thank our customers who have maintained their trust in us during this difficult year. These results pave the way for future growth. MBDA is fundamental for the sovereignty of our nations and their allies to which we will continue to offer the most advanced solutions for the protection of national security and to guarantee their strategic independence ".
2020 was once again characterized by a high number of hires: 1100 new employees across Europe and the forecast of an additional 1200 in 2021. The major contracts signed in 2020 include the order for the production of the SPEAR missile for Royal Air Force and an upgrade to the Brimstone 3 missile; the Aster half-life upgrade for France and the development of the new MHT combat missile for the Tiger helicopter; the contract for the new Teseo MK2 / E anti-ship missile for the Italian Navy and the contract (with Rheinmetall as co-supplier) for a new high-energy laser demonstrator for the German Navy. Major export orders include naval armament systems for an undisclosed foreign customer and for Senegal.
The Armed Forces are faced with situations where threats are rapidly evolving. The risk of high-intensity conflicts increases, while asymmetrical contexts remain. Emerging threats are faster, better protected, smarter, and more collaborative across domains. Countering these threats is becoming increasingly complex and will require the implementation of a wide range of interconnected effectors that act together, with tactical agility, to create the force multiplier necessary to achieve the expected operational objectives.
To meet the future needs of its customers, MBDA is investing extensively in new types of innovative effectors (direct energy systems, countermeasures, etc.), in technologies (artificial intelligence, target identification, hypersonic capabilities, etc.) and associated techniques. (combination of effects, collaboration, swarms, measurement packages, fast targeting, planning of complex missions, navigation in congested environments, etc.), to develop a new generation of weapons and effectors capable of countering and evading threats.
2021 will be a defining year for several future key defense capabilities in Europe. The SAMP / T NG contract awarded by OCCAR on March 19 will give France and Italy an enhanced capability to ensure the sovereignty of their airspace and protect the population, territory and troops in operations from new emerging threats. France and the UK will take further steps in their cooperation under the Lancaster House Treaty, starting the evaluation phase for the FC / ASW program and will continue to strengthen their technology base for next generation missile systems by renewing the their commitment to the “Complex Weapon Innovation & Technology Partnership” (CW-ITP).
MBDA will continue to invest in the cooperation for the endo-atmospheric interceptor which could be the backbone of the wider TWISTER (Timely Warning Interceptor with Spacebased TheatER monitoring) program launched under the European Union's PESCO, to provide a European contribution to the NATO ballistic defense (BMD). As part of the two partnerships that will deliver the next generation of Future Combat Air Systems Tempest and FCAS, MBDA will continue to develop capable, cost-effective, upgradeable, connected and cooperative effectors for future air dominance.
