MBDA
European missile systems group (JV of Airbus, BAE Systems, Leonardo); provides the booster, launcher and canister for Bliksem EXO via MBDA Deutschland.
MBDA is a trinational European missile systems group formed in 2001, jointly owned by Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%). It develops missile and directed-energy systems including Aster, Meteor, Brimstone/Akeron, DragonFire and the STRATUS (FC/ASW) programme, reporting €5.8B in 2025 sales, a €13.2B order intake and a record €44.4B order backlog. Jean-Brice Dumont (Airbus) succeeds Eric Béranger as CEO effective November 2026.
Overview
- Headquarters
- Le Plessis-Robinson, France
- Founded
- 2001
- Employees
- 20,000+ (2025)
- Total funding
- Public
- Stage
- Public
- Status
- active
- Domains
- Missiles, Missile systems, Air and missile defense
- Website
- www.mbda-systems.com
Founders0
No linked records yet.
Investors0
No linked records yet.
Cap table3
Approximate ownership by holder. Indexed holders link to their records.
Percentages marked ~ are not disclosed. Some are a generic VC-pattern model (founders/team weighted heaviest, option pool lightest, other holders evenly) sized to whatever's left undisclosed — a standard industry shape, not this company's actual cap table.
| Holder | Instrument | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Joint venture equity | ~33.3% | |
BAE Systems | Joint venture equity | ~33.3% |
Airbus | Joint venture equity | ~33.3% |
Contracts24
- ContractDragonFire Laser Directed-Energy Weapon (MDC)£316M UK MOD contract for MBDA to deliver the DragonFire laser directed-energy weapon minimum deployable capability to Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers.
- ContractLand Ceptor Air Defence Missile Launchers (6 units)£118M UK MOD contract for six MBDA Land Ceptor air-defence missile launchers integrated into the Sky Sabre system.
- ContractASN4G Fourth-Generation Nuclear Hypersonic ASM — framework & development contractFramework agreement and development contract for MBDA to develop the ASN4G fourth-generation nuclear hypersonic air-to-surface missile for France's DGA.
- ContractMETEOR BVRAAM — follow-on orderFollow-on order for additional MBDA METEOR beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles for Germany's Eurofighter Typhoon fleet.
- ContractBrimstone 2 Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP)£400M UK MOD contract for new-build Brimstone 2 air-to-surface missiles for RAF Typhoon, extending to future Protector RPAS/AH-64E Apache.
- ContractPILICA+ Short-Range Air Defence System$2.4B contract for MBDA to supply Poland's PILICA+ short-range air defence system: 22 batteries with iLauncher and CAMM missiles.
- ContractCAMM for MMSC (Multi-Mission Surface Combatant) — FMS$118.7M NAVSEA FMS contract for MBDA Inc to produce CAMM missiles for Royal Saudi Navy Multi-Mission Surface Combatant ships.
- ContractSea Ceptor for Miecznik-class frigatesPolish Navy contract for MBDA to equip 3 Miecznik-class frigates with the Sea Ceptor naval air-defence system.
- ContractExocet MM40 Block 3C order (additional)French DGA order for 40 additional MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles for French Navy frigates.
- ContractVL MICA NG launcher/missile/spares orderFrench DGA order (part of a €600M multi-contractor package with Thales/KNDS) for 8 MBDA VL MICA NG air-defence launchers and missiles.
- ContractFULGUR VSHORAD development contractItalian Army development contract for MBDA's FULGUR man-portable VSHORAD interceptor, delivery expected early 2028.
- ContractTESEO MK2/E anti-ship missile production contractProduction contract from Italy's National Directorate of Naval Armaments for MBDA's next-gen TESEO MK2/E anti-ship missiles.
- ContractDefendAir anti-drone missile systemBAAINBw contract for MBDA to develop and produce the DefendAir anti-drone missile system at its Schrobenhausen facility.
- ContractCAMM follow-on order (contract amendment)Swedish FMV contract amendment for follow-on MBDA CAMM missile deliveries for the Sea Ceptor system on Visby-class corvettes.
- ContractExocet MM40 Block 3C order (Greece)Intergovernmental agreement with France for Greece to acquire 16 MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3C missiles for its Roussen-class fast attack craft.
- ContractNAREW programme executive contractPolish Armament Agency executive contract (via PGZ-NAREW Consortium) worth over £4 billion for an MBDA-supplied mobile air-defence system using CAMM-ER missiles.
- ContractOne Way Effector (OWE) development & productionFrench DGA's first contract with MBDA to develop and produce the One Way Effector, a sovereign long-range strike UAV/munition.
- ContractAKERON RCX50 experimentation contractFrench DGA trial/experimentation and training contract for MBDA's AKERON RCX50 loitering munition.
- ContractHigh-energy laser weapon system for German NavyBAAINBw contract (via the ARGE HEL working group with Rheinmetall) for MBDA to develop a high-energy laser weapon system for the German Navy, targeted operational by 2029.
- ContractAster/Mk41 VLS compatibility study£2M UK MOD one-year study contract for MBDA to assess Aster missile compatibility with the US Mk41 Vertical Launching System.
- ContractAster 30 B1 NT / B1 / 15 production order (~700 missiles)OCCAR contract with Eurosam (MBDA-Thales JV) for production of nearly 700 Aster missiles for France and Italy.
- ContractAster missile order expansion (~200+ additional)Order from France, Italy and the UK (via Eurosam) for more than 200 additional Aster missiles, accelerating production.
- ContractComplex Weapons Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA2) — UK MOD10-year renewal of the UK MOD's Portfolio Management Agreement with MBDA for complex weapons, worth at least £6.5 billion, projecting a further £2bn in efficiencies and £500m of additional MBDA investment in UK manufacturing. Builds on the original PMA's £2.6bn in confirmed savings.
- ContractELISA Counter-Drone Innovation PartnershipFrench DGA innovation partnership with Alta Ares and MBDA for autonomous drone-interception equipment.
Frequently asked
- What does MBDA do?
- MBDA is a trinational European missile systems group formed in 2001, jointly owned by Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%). It develops missile and directed-energy systems including Aster, Meteor, Brimstone/Akeron, DragonFire and the STRATUS (FC/ASW) programme, reporting €5.8B in 2025 sales, a €13.2B order intake and a record €44.4B order backlog. Jean-Brice Dumont (Airbus) succeeds Eric Béranger as CEO effective November 2026.
- Where is MBDA headquartered?
- MBDA is headquartered in Le Plessis-Robinson, France and was founded in 2001.
- What does MBDA specialize in?
- MBDA works across Missiles, Missile systems, Air and missile defense.
- Does MBDA hold government contracts?
- Defense Tech Atlas links MBDA to 24 government contracts and 1 program.
Sources & citations5
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
MBDA is a European missile systems JV headquartered in Le Plessis-Robinson, formed in 2001, owned by Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%)
MBDA: MBDA — AboutReported2026-07-01 - 2
MBDA Deutschland provides the interceptor booster, launcher and canister for the Bliksem EXO consortium
Destinus: European defence companies sign Letter of Intent to establish the Bliksem EXO ConsortiumVerified2026-07-14 - 3
MBDA reported €5.8B in 2025 sales and a record €44.4B order backlog; Jean-Brice Dumont (Airbus) named incoming CEO effective Nov 1, 2026, succeeding Eric Béranger
Defense News: MBDA appoints Airbus executive Jean-Brice Dumont as new CEOVerified2026-07-15 - 4
MBDA recruited 2,700+ people in 2025, taking total headcount to more than 20,000 employees
Breaking Defense: MBDA plans $5.8B investment in missile production as demand soarsVerified2026-03-27 - 5
MBDA UK integrated compact Fulgur missiles (originally developed for MBDA Italia's Italian Army VSHORAD program) into the Raven 5 air-defense system, demonstrated at the Farnborough International Airshow on 2026-07-20, offering a cheaper interceptor option against drones and short-range aerial threats.
UNITED24 Media: Ukraine Proved Raven Works—Now MBDA Is Giving It Cheaper Fulgur Missile "Teeth"Verified2026-07-22