AEROSPATIALE

Aérospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer that produced civilian and military aircraft, rockets, and satellites. It was previously known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale (SNIAS) and was state-owned. The company went through several major restructures and mergers in the 1990s, resulting in the majority of its assets becoming part of the multinational Airbus consortium. Aérospatiale was created in 1970 through the merger of several French state-owned companies, including Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation, and Société d’étude et de réalisation d’engins balistiques (SEREB). The French government held a controlling stake in the company.