MBDA is the European leader in complex missile systems and a key player in national sovereignty. To maintain this position in a tense geopolitical context and in highly competitive markets, the company has placed innovation at the heart of its strategy. It is with this in mind that it approached CEA's Technological Research Division, whose expertise in materials, thermal management, photonics, electronics, printed antennas, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence directly addresses its needs.
A Long-Term Relationship of Trust
The collaboration began with upstream research projects on exploratory concepts before expanding in scope. Building on these initial successes, the two partners formalized their relationship with a multi-year general collaboration agreement in 2017. This R&D work also benefits from the support of France and the European Union, and some of the technologies developed are also being considered for civilian applications.
“We have built a genuine relationship of trust, based on the exchange and complementarity of our expertise," emphasizes Sébastien Dauvé, Director of CEA-Leti. “We share the desire to perpetuate this collaboration with a view to dual-use applications."
“We are always looking for the best technologies to guarantee the sovereignty of our customers," affirms Denis Gardin, Director of Innovation and Future Technologies at MBDA. “We approached CEA-Leti and CEA-List for their world-class equipment, their expertise in design, integrated circuit design, advanced manufacturing processes in microelectronics, as well as for their experience in the defense sector. CEA is the ideal partner to imagine and develop the systems of tomorrow."
From upstream research to prototype
Several joint projects cover a broad spectrum, from conceptual studies to the manufacturing of high-tech prototypes. The partners are notably developing a very high-resolution optronic system using sovereign technologies, thus avoiding ITAR* constraints.
“The technologies we are deploying meet very high standards. Each component represents a major technical challenge, whether in design, manufacturing, or integration. Thanks to our combined expertise and our prototyping line in Grenoble, we are meeting these challenges," explains Alan Peyaud, a research engineer at CEA-Leti.
As they approach ten years of their partnership, the two companies are continuing ongoing projects to accelerate the maturation of their solutions, integrate them into MBDA systems, and prepare for the next generations of technologies.
Note - ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is a US regulation that controls the manufacture, sale and distribution of objects and services related to defense and space, as defined in the USML (United States Munitions List)