[SatNews] EADS resulted from a merger, in July 2000, between the French Aerospatiale-Matra, the German DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and the Spanish CASA companies. In just 10 years, it has become a European and global leader in the aeronautics, space, defence and associated services sectors.

Since 2000, EADS has enjoyed spectacular growth: in 10 years, revenues have risen by 75 percent and, in 2009, stood at 42.8 billion euros. Total R&D investments have exceeded 22 billion euros and EADS has created more than 15,000 high-tech jobs in Europe. All of the activities within the Group have made a contribution to this growth. EADS Astrium built its European leadership around civil and military space systems and services, while EADS Defence & Security has become an essential supplier of systems solutions to armed forces and civil defence organisations around the world. EADS also means 10 years of impressive projects that have become reality.

Today, the Company has the success of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) for the International Space Station, the EC135 and the EC175. In the next generation, there will be the A400M, the A350 XWB, the Talarion UAV and, even further into the future, the Advanced Re-entry Vehicle (ARV), the Ariane launcher family evolutions, and the Bluecopter project. To celebrate its 10th anniversary starting in the month of June, EADS will be inviting 10,000 school students to its various sites across Europe: Astrium at Les Mureaux, Eurocopter at Marignane, not forgetting Airbus Military in Seville, Airbus in Toulouse and Hamburg, EADS Defence & Security at Elancourt and Newport, and further sites. On June 11th, at the Air and Space Museum in Le Bourget, the “Planète Pilote” project will also be inaugurating a space entirely devoted to children from 6 to 12 years old. This 10th anniversary of EADS is also that of the 119,000 employees working on more than one hundred sites around the world, who have all contributed to the success of these past ten years and whose work, day after day, contribute to building EADS. After the summer holidays, in September, a range of celebrations is being planned for all employees and their families on their respective sites.