ISLAMABAD – Airbus has sharply criticised Madrid for choosing defencesystems specialist Indra to coordinate Spain’s participation in aFranco-German project to develop a new-generation fighter jet, in which theaviation giant is deeply involved.
The decision, which was taken by the defence ministry in late August, sawIndra chosen to coordinate Spain’s work on a stealth fighter whosedevelopment is being led by Airbus and France’s Dassault Aviation.
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury told online business journal ElConfidencial the group “didn’t see the decision coming” as it was expectedto be selected. He said that Indra was a sensors and equipment producer buthad no capabilities in airplanes, drones nor satellites.
“You don’t want someone who makes wheels or computers designing your car.You want a carmaker,” he told El Confidencial on a visit to Spain toconvince the government to rethink its decision. TOP ARTICLES5/5US Sending More TroopsTo Gulf, Trump Announces IranSanctions
Indra is a Spanish technology and defence group which had sales of 3billion euros ($3.3 billion) in 2018. Airbus group sales in the same yeartotalled 63,7 billion.
The ambitious Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project will combine a newgeneration fighter plane with drones, satellites and other aircraft to helpreduce the EU’s long reliance on US planes and equipment.
It aims to have the new plane operational by 2040, when it will replace thecurrent generation of Rafale and Eurofighter jets.
Speaking to El Confidencial at the start of his visit, Faury said it was”difficult to imagine” anyone coming in for the design phase who didn’thave the same expertise as Airbus “in planes, drones or satellites, butonly in systems and sensors”.
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But in a separate interview with El Confidencial on the same day, DefenceMinister Angel Olivares showed no willingness to reverse the decision.
“This is not a circumstantial decision, which can be changed overnight. Wehave decided on Indra, and we will continue to insist that they worktogether with Airbus and the rest of the industry.”
He also expressed the government’s frustration at its weakening influencewithin the Airbus Group, in which it holds a four percent stake, comparedwith the 12 percent held by France and by Germany.
“The relative importance of Spain within Airbus is shrinking,” he said.
“In the latest restructuring, Airbus Spain’s management no longer has anactive role on the executive committee of the Group, for the first time.”
Since 2015, Spain’s representative on the board of directors has beenchosen by Airbus itself, against the wishes of the Spanish government.-APP/AFP
