Press & Media

FROM HARDWARE TO OPEN ARCHITECTURES AND “PLUG AND PLAY” CAPABILITIES

Welcome to the Finmeccanica Stand

Lifetime Commitment:

Five areas to showcase integrated solutions in response to real world challenges

Commitment to business outcomes, independent solution design, deep knowledge of client domain, broad subject matter expertise, pragmatic and flexible culture, highly dedicated workforce, substantial technical and financial backing. These are just some of the characteristics that make Finmeccanica different from other groups in the Aerospace, Defence and Security markets.

Given the trend towards longer service lives of systems and equipment, the uniqueness of Finmeccanica is best summarised by the concept of “Lifetime Commitment”, one of the Group’s main themes at the Farnborough Air Show. This commitment is founded on the two pillars of Life Capability Management and Through Life Training and Support, which together enable key capabilities to be enhanced and maintained.

This is a crucial capability at a time when platform lives are frequently extended by inserting new technologies, whether they be sensors, software or mission systems. In turn, this requires increasingly open architecture systems with “plug and play” capabilities, the ability to apply experience across solutions or platforms, in order to offer quick and cost-effective solutions to urgent operational requirements.

Finmeccanica answers the requirements of customers and end-users beyond just hardware, but also offering bespoke system development, high-value asset integration, through-life training, operational support services, robust command and control centres. The Finmeccanica stand is designed to showcase both the Group’s complex system architectures and its ability to deliver to its customers and end users Lifetime Commitment.

The Group’s world-class integrated solutions are displayed in five areas.

1. Space

 World-class technology, services and solutions for a better future.

Finmeccanica has a world-class portfolio of Space-related capabilities.

We offer everything from mission planning and systems, to satellite manufacturing and operations and services. Our expert consulting, systems engineering and manufacturing capabilities, combined with strong sector knowledge, global experience and market access, offer opportunities to develop business in both the upstream manufacturing and downstream applications markets.In 2007, Thales and Finmeccanica announced the creation of the New Space Alliance through the merger of their space activities.

The green light from the European Commission sealed the second phase of the agreement between Thales and Alcatel-Lucent announced in 2006, approving the transfer to Thales of Alcatel-Lucent’s shareholdings in the two space sector joint ventures Alcatel Alenia Space (67% Thales - 33% Finmeccanica) and Telespazio (67% Finmeccanica - 33% Thales). Alcatel Alenia Space was renamed “Thales Alenia Space”.

Both groups share the same vision for the future development of the Alliance and of their combined contribution to the sector. The complementarities of Thales Alenia Space in satellite systems and Telespazio in satellite services have significantly contributed to strengthen the European space industry as a whole and have enhanced the Group’s leadership in satellite-based technologies and services. In the UK, Finmeccanica continues to support the UK government’s increased commitment to the space sector, the creation of the National Space Agency and the development of the Harwell Innovation Campus, nurturing the development of a strong and competitive UK capability.

Earth Observation

Finmeccanica, through its Space companies is a European leader in providing EO systems and data products. The services offered range from emergency management to maritime and border surveillance; agriculture and forestry to cadastre, as well as natural resources management, environmental risks prevention, monitoring the ongoing effects of climate change.

 Navigation

Finmeccanica has an important role in the development of Europe’s global navigation satellite system, with Galileo providing through its space companies one of the Galileo Control Centres at the Fucino Space Centre, and establishing navigation services on a global basis (Telespazio), being responsible for the assembly, integration and test of the four IOV satellites, leading the System and the Ground Control and Mission Segment, being in charge for the System Support to European Space agency (ESA) including the overall System Design, the System Security Design and in Orbit Validation (Thales Alenia Space) as well as the Passive Hydrogen Maser (PHM) together with the Infrared Earth Sensor 2nd generation (IRES-NE - SELEX Galileo).

 Communications

Finmeccanica’s consultants and engineers work at the leading edge of technological advancement. They build and manage broadband telecommunications networks combining infrastructures and technologies in order to provide global coverage for its institutional and business customers. The services offered range from emergency communications to telemedicine, maritime to secure communications.

2. Air Systems

Finmeccanica has earned a key role in the field of military aeronautics and in international civil programmes.

Finmeccanica has a key role in the most advanced international military and civil aircraft programmes. The Group has forty years of experience in the production of fighters, helicopters, military training aircraft and training systems, unmanned aircraft systems for civil and military use, special mission aircraft, airborne sensors and equipment and aero-structures.

Fixed Wing

Finmeccanica designs, develops and produces state of the art tactical airlifters, combat and training aircraft for both civil and military applications, always accompanied by complete support services. The Group aeronautical business also includes aircraft upgrades and modifications. Through its subsidiaries, Finmeccanica plays crucial roles in international aeronautical programmes and provides products and services driven by technological excellence.

Rotary Wing

Finmeccanica is a world leader in the rotorcraft market and can offer a complete range of platforms able to meet the most demanding commercial and military requirements. These range from preliminary analysis and definition of operating requirements to the design, development, production and integration of transmissions, dynamic components, airframes, avionics and equipments into the complete “helicopter system”. A comprehensive package of tailored advanced training and support solutions makes of Finmeccanica a total capability provider in the sector.

UAS

Finmeccanica invests in UAS programmes centred on the development and demonstration of key technologies in the field of dual use or civil UCAV and URAV systems.

Airborne Sensors and Equipment

Finmeccanica is the second European player in the defence electronics market and the sixth worldwide.

The Group designs and develops avionic suites, airborne sensors, defensive aid systems, radar sensors for air defence, battlefield management, naval warfare, coastal and maritime surveillance, air traffic control and turn-key airport solutions, all backed up by full logistic support.

At Finmeccanica, the training capability available across the Group combines in-depth domain knowledge and training expertise with a long established capability of developing and integrating the latest and most appropriate training technology to ensure our customers and end users receive cost effective, through life training solutions that transform training and enhance operational capability.

3. Training & Support

One of the emerging trends of the 21st century is the way in which industry, the public sector, and the armed forces, have looked to transform organizational capability through the exploitation of the latest technology.

Individual Training

Ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to develop the skills required of them is essential to the continued operational success of any organisation. Finmeccanica has the relevant experience and technological vision to transform the training of an organisation in the most cost efficient manner, helping the individual realise their potential and enhancing the front-line capability effect.

Collective Training

The demands of network enabled operations require a greater capacity to understand the interconnected roles of the individual, teams and the collective in order to successfully improve front-line capability. Finmeccanica can provide the insight and training expertise to fully articulate the collective training requirement. We offer a rangeof solutions to meet the identified operational requirement.

Through Life & Mission Support

Delivering effective and efficient through life capability depends on the ability to manage the training line of development to ensure it meets the evolving operational requirement. The Group offers solutions that help maintaining front-line capability and prolong the operational effectiveness of equipment.

4. Security & Resilience

Finmeccanica offers innovative and co-ordinated responses to the threats facing the country’s borders, infrastructures and citizens. Solutions cover Critical National Infrastructure protection, border security, territory monitoring and civil protection, cyber security and major events management and security. These were developed to address real customer and end users needs around the world and deliver pragmatic, integrated solutions in today’s increasingly complex non-military domains.

CNI Protection

Critical National Infrastructures (CNI) provide the underlying framework of facilities, systems, sites and networks necessary for the functioning of a country and the delivery of the essential services relying on every aspect of our daily life. Finmeccanica provides essential infrastructure and services through 24/7 operations, characterized by high levels of availability and resilience, demanding engineering and safety excellence.

Border Control

Finmeccanica is the leading provider of maritime protection systems offering a long tradition in military integrated systems for patrolling and identification activities and state of the art solutions for border surveillance, be it air, sea or land. Solutions feature multiple-level command and control organisation, redundant coverage of critical areas, integration and exchange of data/services

with a number of external military and civil agencies.

Major Events

Finmeccanica offers the most comprehensive approach to homeland security and has a strong pedigree in providing mission-critical real-time networks and command systems for a wide range of military and civil applications such as managing and ensuring the safety and security of major events. Leveraging the technological and industrial base of its companies, Finmeccanica offers its customers capabilities and solutions that meet the strategic goal of global security: preventing terrorists attacks, reducing the vulnerability to terrorism of both population and key assets, minimising damage and recovery time after an attack.

5. Joint Operations

Finmeccanica has a solid and proven experience in design, development and integration of large families of systems interconnecting sensors, platforms, effectors, command and control centres, and, as such, provides the capability to satisfy complex military requirements through the deployment of network-enabled architectures. The Group brings together a team specialised in delivering innovative and agile solutions ensuring maximum responsiveness for current operational imperatives, as well as maintaining high flexibility for future requirements.

Air and Surface Integration

Finmeccanica solutions integrate a wide range of air, land, naval and space platforms and systems into a coherent network-enabled command and control infrastructure. The resulting command and control capabilities can deal with the widest conceivable range of unpredictable scenario.

Surveillance and Air Defence

Finmeccanica Persistent Surveillance systems enable robust, persistent wide area detection and offer field personnel accurate and actionable intelligence. Applications include base and soldier protection, border security, perimeter monitoring of critical National Infrastructure, industrial and government facilities, as well as surveillance of large public areas and during major events.

Command Support Systems

Command Support Systems need to be highly responsive and facilitate rapid decision-making. Finmeccanica systems offer modular architectures matching different levels of requirements, capable to work alone or within complex networks. Command and Control can be organized through network-centric cells on air, sea and fixed/mobile on land, thus implementing a multi-layered strategic and tactical structure relying upon a solid telecommunications backbone.