ABSTRACT
SIPRI defines these as companies whose ownership and control structure are based in more than one European country such as Airbus and MBDA. The definition is broadened to embrace companies involved in the management of European collaborative projects, such as Panavia and Eurofighter. There is a surprising lack of data on all these companies, especially those involved in European collaborative ventures. The various types of companies are described and placed in the context of European defence industrial policy and the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP). The European defence industry comprises a few large arms firms, including major industrial consortia (e.g. Eurofighter). The major European collaborative arms projects are described and assessed (e.g. A400M airlifter; Typhoon; NH90 helicopter). Opportunities for assessing the performance of European collaborative projects are reviewed. Governments are central to their understanding.
