Under assessment · Notification · Phase 1 · day 2, due 17 Nov 2026
Airbus SE, Thales S.A., and Leonardo S.p.A. propose a new joint venture combining their space businesses. Airbus will hold 35% of the joint venture's share capital, with Thales and Leonardo each holding 32.5%, establishing joint control. This share acquisition operates within communication equipment manufacturing and surveying and mapping services.
Airbus SE ( Airbus ), Thales S.A. ( Thales ), and Leonardo S.p.A. ( Leonardo ) propose to form a new joint venture ( JV ) to combine their respective space businesses (the Acquisition ). Following completion of the Acquisition, Airbus will hold 35% of the JV’s share capital, and Thales and Leonardo will each hold 32.5%. The Parties will have joint control over the JV. Airbus is a listed European public company, globally active in aeronautics, space, and defence-related sectors. Airbus is present across the entire space industry value chain through its Airbus DS division. In Australia, Airbus DS is active in: the prime contracting for telecom satellites – i.e. designing, developing, manufacturing, integrating, testing, delivering and commercialising telecom satellites as per the client’s specifications; the provision and distribution of satellite Earth-observation (or ‘ EO ’) services – i.e. services that allow the monitoring and analysis of natural and man-made phenomena on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, and in the oceans, through collecting, processing, and distributing data and images acquired by sensors mounted on EO satellites orbiting Earth; and the provision and distribution of satellite communication (or ‘ satcom ’) services – i.e. services that allow telecom, broadcasting and data communications through the use of a wide range of radio waves received and relayed by a telecom satellite. Thales and Leonardo are also listed European public companies, globally active in defence, aerospace, cyber and digital, and aircraft related sectors. Thales and Leonardo are active throughout the space industry value chain through their co-controlled joint ventures, Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, which together form the Space Alliance. In Australia, the Space Alliance is active in: the prime contracting for telecom satellites, the provision and distribution of satellite Earth-observation services; and the supply of ground systems – i.e. the design, construction, integration and testing of all Earth-based infrastructure products which support, control and utilise the satellite or space infrastructure deployed in space. Thales is separately active in Australia in the provision of aero-connectivity services and related equipment. This business will not be contributed to the JV. Leonardo has no space-related operations in Australia.