Airbus, Thales, Leonardo Immediately Makes First Deal For Satellite Cooperation

JAKARTA - Three giants of the European aerospace industry, Leonardo, Thales, and Airbus, have the potential to sign an initial agreement to merge their satellite business this year. This was conveyed by Airbus Defense and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn in an interview on Sunday, September 14 as previously reported by Reuters.

In a project called "Project Bromo," the three companies plan to set up a satellite manufacturing company to strengthen competitiveness against rivals from the United States and China, including Elon Musk's Starlink.

"We are on the right track, but there are still a number of issues that must be clarified before taking such a big step," Schoellhorn told the Italian daily, Il Corriere della Sera.

He explained that this kind of operation usually goes through two stages, namely a framework agreement (framework agreement) first, then proceeds with the phase towards closing the actual agreement.

"In this case, I believe the signing of the initial agreement could take place as soon as 2025," he added.