EADS SHOWCASES NEXT PHASE IN ITS DEFENSE BUSINESS STRATEGY

Will Further Integrate its Airbus Unit into Next-Generation Military Applications; CEO Philippe Camus: "Strategy is to Leverage Total Portfolio to Create New Long-Range, Transport, and Multi-Mission Aircraft."

Speaking at the first EADS North America Investor Forum in New York City, CEO Philippe Camus today elaborated on EADS' defense business strategy. Following the successful launch of the A400M military transport aircraft, EADS is looking to further exploit synergies across the EADS commercial and defense portfolio to create new break-through products for the defense market.

"We are rapidly adapting our Airbus manufacturing base into a variety of military applications," said Camus. "Beyond developing the A400M for markets outside of Europe, we will actively market variance of the A300 and A330 aircraft as aerial refueling tankers. We will also pursue the A400M for use in combination with our Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles and other munitions to fulfill the standoff strike mission."

At the Investor Forum, senior EADS executives emphasized their desire to be an active corporate citizen in the U.S. They also stressed that EADS products could provide a strong value proposition for the U.S. Pentagon.

"EADS will further invest in its industrial presence in the United States, and working with U.S. strategic partners, we feel confident that the Pentagon will become a valued customer for our defense products," asserted Camus.

EADS is traded on the Paris, Frankfurt, and Madrid stock exchanges. The company will release its 2003 third quarter results on November 6.

EADS is the second largest aerospace and defense company in the world with revenues of 29.9 billion Euros in 2002, and a workforce of more than 100,000. It is a systems integrator and as such is one of the few companies worldwide capable of combining various products and technologies to form complete systems and offering the associated services. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier, Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the second largest missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system, Galileo. EADS has more than 70 sites in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain, and is active in many regions worldwide, including the United States, Russia and Asia.

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