MBDA, the European missile manufacturer co-owned by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, is investing $2.7 billion to ramp up production between 2023 and 2028. The company plans to double its Aster air-defense missile output by 2026 to meet Europe’s growing defense needs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite this expansion, MBDA faces stiff competition from US manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, which produces significantly higher missile volumes annually. Lockheed Martin currently manufactures about 720 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles per year, with plans to scale up to 1,100. To meet demand, MBDA is addressing supply chain bottlenecks and expanding its workforce across multiple European production sites.
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