On December 1st, MBDA France acquired the ramjet integration and testing activities of Roxel France. Ramjets are air-breathing motors especially suitable for supersonic flight propulsion over long distances.

This development - which does not include Roxel’s ramjet integral booster or thermo-structural materials activities - follows the signing of an agreement between MBDA and Herakles (a subsidiary of Safran group), equal joint shareholders of the Roxel group. Specializing in tactical propulsion technology in France and in the UK, the Roxel group will continue to supply rocket motors for MBDA missiles as well as those of other suppliers. MBDA has now become the technical authority for ramjets in France as well as in Europe.

This transaction sees the transfer to MBDA France of 18 Roxel France employees, site facilities as well as ramjet test benches all of which will remain on the same Bourges-Subdray site in the Centre region of France. This industrial optimization aims to bring together engineering and test activities in order to create a more integrated and coordinated approach whilst working towards future developments.

Commenting on the agreement, Antoine Bouvier, CEO of MBDA said: “By optimizing the industrial and commercial basis of their organizations in this way, MBDA, Herakles and Roxel aim to maintain a sovereign capability in France at the best possible cost to the tax payer. This capability is unique in Europe and is one that has been patiently developed over the course of more than half a century.  It is a capability that will be critical in the coming years in controlling costs and lead times for future French and European long-range super- and hyper-sonic missile programs thereby preserving the competitiveness of the missile sector in Europe”.

Philippe Schleicher, CEO of Herakles, added: “As a result of this transfer, Roxel will be able to continue to invest and to develop its core business, namely solid-fuel rocket motors for tactical missiles, an activity in which it is the European leader and one of the world’s leading companies as well. Herakles will work together with Roxel in this process and will continue to provide the skills it has acquired in the area of ballistic missile and space launch vehicle propulsion”.