Alenia Marconi Systems
Encyclopedia
Alenia Marconi Systems was a major Europe
an integrated defence electronics company and an equal shares joint venture
between BAE Systems
and Finmeccanica
until its dissolution on May 3, 2005.
AMS was formed in 1998 by the merger of GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems and Alenia Difesa. Equal shares in the resulting company were then held by Finmeccanica, and GEC-Marconi (later Marconi Electronic Systems
(MES)), a division of The General Electric Company (GEC).
With the demerger
and subsequent sale of its MES division in 1999, GEC's interest in AMS passed to BAE Systems.
In 2001 AMS' missile systems division was merged with Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and Matra BAe Dynamics
to form MBDA
.
On October 7, 2003 the UK
holding company for AMS changed its registered name from Alenia Marconi Systems Limited to AMS Limited to comply with the agreements reached regarding use of the name “Marconi” following the sale of Marconi Electronic Systems by GEC (later Marconi plc). This name change was reflected in rebranding
across the company, although the Italian
holding company retained the name Alenia Marconi Systems SpA.
On January 28, 2005 BAE Systems and Finmeccanica announced the intention to dissolve their partnership in the AMS joint venture with AMS' UK and Italian operations taken over by the respective partners as arranged through the Eurosystems Transaction. On May 3, 2005, the Eurosystems Transaction was finalised:
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an integrated defence electronics company and an equal shares joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
and Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica S.p.A. is an Italian conglomerate. Finmeccanica is the second largest industrial group and the largest of the hi-tech industrial groups based in Italy. It works in the fields of defence, aerospace, security, automation, transport and energy...
until its dissolution on May 3, 2005.
AMS was formed in 1998 by the merger of GEC-Marconi Radar and Defence Systems and Alenia Difesa. Equal shares in the resulting company were then held by Finmeccanica, and GEC-Marconi (later Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems , or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of The General Electric Company . It was demerged from GEC and acquired by British Aerospace on November 30, 1999 to form BAE Systems...
(MES)), a division of The General Electric Company (GEC).
With the demerger
Demerger
Demerger is a form of corporate restructuring in which the an entity's business operations are segregated into one or more components. It is the converse of a merger or acquisition....
and subsequent sale of its MES division in 1999, GEC's interest in AMS passed to BAE Systems.
In 2001 AMS' missile systems division was merged with Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and Matra BAe Dynamics
Matra BAe Dynamics
Matra BAe Dynamics was formed in August 1996 by merger of half the missile business of Matra Defense of France and BAe Dynamics of the UK and was Europe's largest manufacturer of missiles and UAVs....
to form MBDA
MBDA
MBDA is a missile developer and manufacturer with operations in France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and the United States. It was formed by a merger of Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles , Finmeccanica and Matra BAe Dynamics in December 2001. In 2003 the company had 10,000 employees...
.
On October 7, 2003 the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
holding company for AMS changed its registered name from Alenia Marconi Systems Limited to AMS Limited to comply with the agreements reached regarding use of the name “Marconi” following the sale of Marconi Electronic Systems by GEC (later Marconi plc). This name change was reflected in rebranding
Rebranding
Rebranding is the creation of a new name, term, symbol, design, or a combination of them for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated position in the mind of stakeholders and competitors....
across the company, although the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
holding company retained the name Alenia Marconi Systems SpA.
On January 28, 2005 BAE Systems and Finmeccanica announced the intention to dissolve their partnership in the AMS joint venture with AMS' UK and Italian operations taken over by the respective partners as arranged through the Eurosystems Transaction. On May 3, 2005, the Eurosystems Transaction was finalised:
- The UK operations of AMS (minus air traffic controlAir traffic controlAir traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
and communication systems) brought together with the C4ISRC4ISRC4ISR may refer to:* the C4ISR concept of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, the U.S. term for C4ISTAR* C4ISR Journal, a journal published by the Defense News Media Group...
division of BAE Systems (minus communication systems) to form the new BAE Systems Integrated System TechnologiesBAE Systems Integrated System TechnologiesBAE Systems Integrated System Technologies was formed on May 3, 2005, by bringing together BAE Systems' interests in C4ISR and the UK operations of AMS following the Eurosystems Transaction....
(Insyte) division of BAE Systems. - The Italian operations of AMS (Alenia Marconi Systems SpA) became SELEX Sistemi IntegratiSELEX Sistemi IntegratiSELEX Sistemi Integrati, a Finmeccanica company, designs and develops Large Systems for Homeland Protection, systems and radar sensors for air defence, battlefield management, naval warfare, coastal and maritime surveillance, air traffic control and turn-key airport solutions.The company has about...
.
Products
- Air traffic control
- Air defence systems
- Airport infrastructure
- Lighting
- Meteorological systems
- Command and controlCommand and Control (military)Command and control, or C2, in a military organization can be defined as the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission...
(C²) - Communication systems
- Data linkData linkIn telecommunication a data link is the means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving information. It can also refer to a set of electronics assemblies, consisting of a transmitter and a receiver and the interconnecting data telecommunication circuit...
s - Simulators etc
- Aerospace
- Military
- RadarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
- Civil and military- Ground
- Naval