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Aerospatiale Weapon Systems

Aerospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer formed in 1970 from state aviation and missile firms. Its legacy includes helicopters such as the Super Puma family, missiles, launch vehicles, satellites, and the corporate line that fed Eurocopter and Airbus.

1 weapon systems

Aerospatiale was created in 1970 as SNIAS, the result of a merger of Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation, and SEREB. The company became one of France's central aerospace manufacturers, with activities spanning helicopters, missiles, launch vehicles, aircraft, and space systems.

For this archive, Aerospatiale matters because its helicopter lineage includes the Super Puma family represented in the catalog, while its corporate evolution continued through Aerospatiale-Matra, Eurocopter, EADS, and eventually Airbus.

HelicoptersMilitary rotorcraftMissilesLaunch vehiclesSpace systems

Notable Systems

Super Puma family

The 1999 annual report lists Super Puma AS 332 within Aerospatiale Matra's helicopter portfolio, and Airbus's helicopter history traces the later Eurocopter successor line.

Sources: Aerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999, Airbus Helicopters history

Dauphin family

The 1999 annual report lists Dauphin A365 among Aerospatiale Matra's helicopter products.

Sources: Aerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999

Ariane launcher family

Airbus history identifies France's Aérospatiale as the lead integrator on the Ariane programme, and the 1999 annual report describes Aerospatiale Matra Lanceurs as Ariane 5's industrial architect.

Sources: Airbus our story, Aerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999

Builder History

  1. SNIAS / Aerospatiale formed

    Airbus history material says SNIAS was created on 1 January 1970 from the merger of Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation, and SEREB.

    Sources: Airbus our journey

  2. Eurocopter created from helicopter divisions

    Airbus history says the helicopter divisions of France's Aérospatiale and Germany's DASA merged in 1992 to form Eurocopter.

    Sources: Airbus Helicopters history

  3. Aerospatiale Matra group formed

    The 1999 Aerospatiale Matra annual report says the new Aerospatiale Matra Group was created in June 1999.

    Sources: Aerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999

  4. EADS created from Aerospatiale-Matra, DASA, and CASA

    Airbus says EADS was formed on 10 July 2000 from the trans-national merger of Aerospatiale-Matra, DASA, and CASA, and that EADS was later renamed Airbus.

    Sources: Airbus 25 years integrated company

  5. Eurocopter renamed Airbus Helicopters

    Airbus history says Eurocopter became Airbus Helicopters in 2014 as part of the group's rotorcraft consolidation.

    Sources: Airbus Helicopters history, Airbus 25 years integrated company

Predecessors
Sud AviationNord AviationSEREB
Successors
Aérospatiale-MatraEADS
Website links
Airbus history overviewOur story: the evolution of Airbus25 years of Airbus as an integrated companyAerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999

Aerospatiale is a defunct historical predecessor company, so the profile uses current Airbus history pages and archived annual-report material to trace the legacy name, helicopter lineage, and merger path into Eurocopter, EADS, and Airbus.

Builder Sources

  • Airbus our journeyPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports the 1 January 1970 creation of SNIAS/Aerospatiale from Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation, and SEREB. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Airbus our storyPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports Aerospatiale's role in the Airbus predecessor line, the 1992 Eurocopter merger context, and the 2000 EADS merger background. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Airbus Helicopters historyPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports the 1992 merger of Aérospatiale's helicopter division with DASA and the later Airbus Helicopters succession line. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Airbus 25 years integrated companyPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports the 10 July 2000 EADS merger date, the Aerospatiale-Matra connection, and the later rename to Airbus. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Aerospatiale-Matra annual report 1999Publisher: Airbus | Note: Supports Aerospatiale Matra's product portfolio, including Super Puma AS 332, Dauphin A365, Ecureuil B3, AS350, EC120B, EC155, missiles, and launchers. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Aerospatiale logo filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and the Commons licensing context for the Aerospatiale logo used on the profile. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

1
Super Puma combat support helicopter, Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsBoko Haram InsurgencySuper Puma combat support helicopterTwin-engine medium-lift utility helicopterBuilt in: FranceThe Super Puma is a twin-engine medium-lift helicopter family developed from the SA 330 Puma and used by the Nigerian Air Force as a combat-support platform. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, sourced Nigerian Air Force reporting places Super Puma fleets in the northeast air task force, where the type supported mobility, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and logistics rather than serving as a dedicated attack helicopter.