Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo have entered early-stage discussions with EU antitrust regulators about a potential merger of their satellite operations, according to Reuters. The talks are in the pre-notification phase, indicating the beginning of a lengthy process that may not yield concrete results until sometime next year. A second source noted that France and Italy are generally supportive of the initiative. However, the European Commission’s stance will be critical, given its past opposition to similar consolidation efforts. The merger aims to strengthen Europe’s satellite manufacturing capabilities amid growing global competition.
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