Lorenzo Mariani, CEO of the Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo, maintains that collaborating with Thales and Airbus is indispensable if Europe intends to establish a powerful competitor within the space sector. Speaking to the “Handelsblatt”, Mariani stated that this collaboration is the only viable path to creating a robust company that satisfies the demands of European nations, maintains international competitiveness, and simultaneously develops stronger supply chains.
The joint venture, referred to as “Bromo,” does not inherently seek to establish a monopoly, according to Mariani, who believes that alternatives to their solutions will continue to exist across various segments. Furthermore, the partners emphasize that weakening smaller companies in the industry runs against their core interests. Rather, they require a resilient and stable supply chain, which currently remains underdeveloped, and the objective of this cooperation is to build it.
The collaborating parties are currently in talks with the EU Commission to finalize the specifics of the project. According to Mariani, the proposal the consortium intends to submit to the EU antitrust authority will likely result in only “minimal restrictions and minimal structural measures.” The desired commencement date for the project is January 1, 2028.
