MBDA Italy and the Italian Centre for Aerospace Research (CIRA) yesterday announced they have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at advancing in the most effective way the operational skills of each of the two organizations in their respective sectors.
The three-year agreement will be automatically renewed each subsequent three years.
The agreement came about following the identification of possible synergies in the development of general purpose technologies as well as in the conception, development, qualification and use of Flying Test Beds through which such technologies and their respective design and integration techniques could be properly validated.
The agreement will deal with various topics, including: composite airframes for subsonic/supersonic applications; guidance, navigation and control systems and algorithms for next-generation expendable launchers and hypersonic vehicles; composite canisters; composite BMC4I and dual-use modules; anti-ballistic defense to increase personnel safety during operations; and, hybrid radomes.
MBDA will establish a technical unit at the CIRA to act as the focal point to progress the various projects to be financed.
MBDA is held by BAE Systems at 27.5 percent, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., with 37.5 percent and 25 percent is held by Finmeccanica.
CIRA, controlled primarily by Italy, is an internationally recognized center of excellence in air force and space disciplines.