Three European Aviation Giants Join Forces: They Will Rival Starlink

Metaverse Planet

October 24, 2025

Three major European aerospace giants, Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo, have announced they are merging their space units. The newly established company will develop satellites to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The three major European aerospace giants aim to rival Elon Musk‘s Starlink by merging their space units. It is reported that the companies, Airbus, the French Thales, and the Italian Leonardo, have formally completed the agreement.

The new company, whose name has not yet been announced, will be headquartered in France and is expected to employ approximately 25,000 people. According to the partnership structure, Airbus will hold a 35% stake, while Leonardo and Thales will each hold 32.5% stakes.

They will develop a satellite network to rival Starlink With this move, Europe aims to increase its strength in space and develop a system to rival SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communication network. Increasing the presence in space is also seen as a strategic step for defense and security. Thales and Airbus have been competitors in the satellite market for years. Leonardo will contribute to this partnership with its experience in space systems and services. There are no plans to close any facilities in the new company; each country will maintain its existing production and engineering capacity. The venture will operate as an independent company. Its primary task will be to make satellite production and development processes more efficient.

Discussions regarding this merger have been ongoing since 2019. The completion of the agreement requires the approval of regulatory authorities. The companies expect the new structure to be fully operational by 2027.

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