'Aérospatiale' was a French
aerospace manufacturer that primarily built both civilian and military
aircraft and
rockets.
The company was created in
1970 from the state-owned companies
Sud Aviation,
Nord Aviation and ''Société d'études et de réalisation d'engins balistiques'' (SÉREB). Starting in 1971 it was directed by
Émile Dewoitine and
Bernard Dufour.
In
1992,
DaimlerBenz Aerospace AG (
DASA) and Aérospatiale combined their helicopter divisions to form the
Eurocopter Group.
In
1999, Aérospatiale merged with
Matra Haute Technologie to form
Aérospatiale-Matra. In 2001, Aérospatiale-Matra's missile group was merged with
Matra BAe Dynamics and the missile division of
Alenia Marconi Systems to form MBDA.
Lionel Jospin's
Plural Left government initiated the
privatization of Aérospatiale.
On
July 10,
2000, Aérospatiale-Matra merged with
Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) of Spain and
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) of Germany to form The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (
EADS).
Products
The company worked with the British company
Westland on three designs, the Puma, Gazelle and Lynx.

The Aérospatiale Corvette first flew in 1970 and went into service in 1974. Forty were built.
★
Airbus Transport
★
Alouette II and
Alouette III helicopters
★
Arabsat satellite
★
Ariane rocket
★
ATR 42 and
ATR 72 turboprop airliners (with
Alenia)
★
ATSF (unrealised)
★
Caravelle Transport
★
Concorde Transport (with
British Aircraft Corporation)
★
Corvette Transport
★
Dauphin helicopter
★
Epsilon Trainer
★
Exocet missile
★
Gazelle helicopter
★
Hermes Spaceplane (unrealized)
★
Lama helicopter
★
Magister Trainer/Attack
★
Puma helicopter
★
Spacebus 300
satellite
★
Squirrel helicopter
★
Zephyr Naval Trainer/Attack
Directors
★ 1971-1979 -
Émile Dewoitine