{"id":57378,"date":"2017-09-19T17:25:51","date_gmt":"2017-09-19T17:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/09\/19\/mbda-boss-extremely-negative-consequences-if-brexit-cuts-off-defense-cooperation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:15:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:15:17","slug":"mbda-boss-extremely-negative-consequences-if-brexit-cuts-off-defense-cooperation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/2017\/09\/19\/mbda-boss-extremely-negative-consequences-if-brexit-cuts-off-defense-cooperation\/","title":{"rendered":"MBDA boss: \u2018Extremely negative\u2019 consequences if Brexit cuts off defense cooperation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PARIS \u2015 There is an urgent need to find ways for Britain to participate in future European defense programs after London leaves the European Union, or face a big loss for the arms industry, the CEO of missile-maker MBDA said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.K. and EU members should find \u201cinstruments of convergence\u201d to allow cross-English Channel industrial cooperation following the divorce from the EU and the transition period, Antoine Bouvier told the French association for aeronautics and space journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That search for a convergence mechanism \u201cwill take time and calls for work today,\u201d or there will be \u201ca loss of the British contribution and the critical mass for Europe,\u201d Bouvier said. It would be \u201cextremely negative\u201d for Britain and the other 27 EU members if cooperation opportunities are cut off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 28 EU members, including the U.K., hold 20 percent of the world market for missiles, while 27 members (without the U.K.) would account for 16 percent, he said. That British exit meant EU members would lose in terms of finance, technology, staff, expertise, and a country with a history of being \u201cable and willing\u201d to deploy outside Europe, the executive asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the short term, there is little risk for MBDA, as there is a strong flow in program cooperation between Britain, France, Germany and Italy, he said. The group expects Spain to join the league of prime contractors if and when a Spanish order is booked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in the long term, there is risk that \u201cgradually, over the years, there could be weakening ties of the security interests of the 27 members and those of Britain,\u201d he said. The U.K., once outside the EU, \u201cwould tend to look across the Atlantic, and the 27 [members] would tend to work more closely together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second long-term risk lies in Britain\u2019s exclusion from the \u201ccommunity initiatives of the 27, and the Europe of 27 would not benefit from British capability, resources and technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou could not imagine Meteor without Britain,\u201d he said. The Meteor missile is a symbol of European defense cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.K. has led the program on the long-range, air-to-air missile, which is backed by Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden. The missile arms the Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab\u2019s Gripen, all of which compete with each other in export markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Qatar\u2019s planned order for 24 Eurofighters, it was too early to say which weapons the Qatari Air Force would pick, but there will be a \u201ccommonality\u201d of weapons for the Rafale and Eurofighter, he said. The procurement details are up for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\t