Eurosam GIE is a European manufacturer of anti-air missiles.[1]
Eurosam was established in June 1989 for the development of the Famille de missiles Sol-Air Futurs (Future Surface-to-Air Family of missiles or FSAF). Eurosam was initially a joint venture between Aérospatiale, Alenia and Thomson-CSF. Now Aérospatiale is a part of MBDA (more precisely of the French branch of MBDA), and Missile and Missile Systems activities of Alenia are now the Italian branch of MBDA. Thomson CSF is now the Thales Group. Thus Eurosam is owned by MBDA France and Italy (66%) and Thales Group (33%).
As originally envisaged under the contract for Phase 1 (signed in May 1990) the FSAF involved the use of the Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles in the following applications:
In March 1998 Saudi Arabia signed a contract for the SAAM system (Aster 15) to be fitted to its DCN Al Riyadh class frigates
In August 1999 FSAF was extended to include PAAMS, the Principal Anti Air Missile System. PAAMS uses both Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles for self-defence, local area defence and long range area defence. PAAMS is managed by EUROPAAMS, a joint venture between Eurosam (66%) and MBDA subsidiary UKAMS (33%). MBDA also owns 66% of Eurosam, in effect giving it a 77% share of the project. MBDA is itself owned by BAE, EADS and Finnmeccanica PAAMS is to be deployed on the 4 French/Italian Horizon frigates and 6 British Type 45 destroyers.