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Talk:Cappuccino

Cappuccino and kaputziner
I think Austria should be removed, the sources make it clear cappuccino is a different kind of drink 79.54.217.132 (talk) 00:40, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

 * It's actually the same thing. Capuccino is a direct translation of the German word 2800:430:1384:A210:1B:F0FF:FEB5:3CB1 (talk) 00:52, 9 February 2024 (UTC)
 * No it's not. The beverage is very different 79.54.217.132 (talk) 00:53, 9 February 2024 (UTC)
 * Exactly, they aren't the same thing! JacktheBrown (talk) 17:11, 9 July 2024 (UTC)

Sapsby, do you realise that you have imposed your personal vision, deleted several times (also by Vaselineeeeeeee), regarding a discussion started in February (here)? In this encyclopedia we don't accept authoritarian people, but people capable of discussing without imposing their own changes. JacktheBrown (talk) 17:03, 9 July 2024 (UTC)

The picture is of a latte
The picture is not a cappuccino it's a latte. If it has latte art and you can't see the texture of the foam it's not a cappuccino. I agree it is often what you get if you ask for one in the UK or US. 2A00:23EE:1480:3569:2E06:AFAB:323A:786 (talk) 13:38, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

 * Agree, have edited to pictures of cappucinos, except for the section on "latte art" although I'm not sure why that is even in this wiki - it should be in Latte or flat white. 59.101.150.112 (talk) 02:20, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
 * Unsure what to do about the section "Traditional and latte art" which is clearly describing making a café latte or flat white with the "latte art" method.  This section shouldn't even be in this wiki. 59.101.150.112 (talk) 08:30, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
 * Had some time to rewrite quite a lot of the article. Fixed this section in particular. I'm worried about this text:" Attaining the correct volume and thickness of foam requires close attention while steaming the milk, thus making the cappuccino one of the most difficult espresso-based beverages to make properly."
 * Firstly, [citation needed]! Secondly, I personally find doing the milk for making a latte or flat white with latte art is much harder - many other baristas I work with struggle with it.  A cap is easy, just blow some air into the milk while heating and it makes the foam. 59.101.150.112 (talk) 10:25, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
 * I have, a few minutes ago, changed the image (File:Cappuccino at Sightglass Coffee.jpg), much more beautiful. JacktheBrown (talk) 23:08, 13 April 2024 (UTC)

CONSENSUS FIRST
The Sapsby user has been writing for several weeks that the cappuccino was born in Austria. Almost all sources claim that the cappuccino originated in Italy; according to this source, "Although the name 'Kapuziner' was used in Vienna, the actual cappuccino was invented in Italy, and the name was adapted to become 'Cappuccino.' It was first made in the early 1900a, shortly after the popularization of the espresso machine in 1901. The first record of the cappuccino we have found was in the 1930s.", cappuccino originated in Italy. I don't know what to do anymore; I wrote to him to first reach a consensus on the discussion page, but he continues undaunted. I'm not the only one who advised him to discuss first on the discussion page (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cappuccino&diff=prev&oldid=1223987338). I would also like to talk about Eduadoros; on the bagna càuda page there are many open discussions about the origin, but this user decided to add his information without first reaching a consensus on the discussion page. JacktheBrown (talk) 12:54, 27 May 2024 (UTC)

 * Cappuccino comes from German Kapuziner. Remember that one part of Italy was under Austrian power in this time, it is clearly explained that the beverage called Kapuziner was introduced to Italy by Austrians and then the name was "italianized".
 * Kapuziner is exactly a cappuccino, you can read it here
 * Which point don't you agree with? Sapsby (talk) 13:13, 27 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Actually Italian cappucino is different from Kapuziner 62.211.180.100 (talk) 17:34, 2 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Yes it is separate Kapuziner (Kaffee). Vaselineeeeeeee★★★ 00:16, 3 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I have put a reference in this discussion showing that it is exactly the same. Differences could appear with time because of modernization of the techniques used but it is originally from Austria. You seem to forget that Italy did not exist as a nation in the 18th century, the north of Italy was also part of the Austrian empire. Sapsby (talk) 09:19, 4 July 2024 (UTC)
 * stop adding "Austria" in the infobox, stop! You also removed "Italy" from the infobox of the espresso page; what will be your next move? JacktheBrown (talk) 15:49, 9 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Finally, you have decided to respond. I have already explained here why I included Austria. In my opinion, Italy should be removed as the origin is only Austria. However, I have included both countries to maintain a more neutral position Sapsby (talk) 15:55, 9 July 2024 (UTC)
 * my position remains the same, and I think you don't like Italy; I give up (for me you're a user who creates a lot of confusion, but it's my personal idea, perhaps wrong). JacktheBrown (talk) 16:03, 9 June 2024 (UTC)
 * it's not an accusation, but a doubt. Have you edited from this IP? Special:Contributions/190.63.96.117; the changes are very similar. Answer sincerely. JacktheBrown (talk) 17:35, 9 June 2024 (UTC)
 * No, why? Sapsby (talk) 08:55, 10 July 2024 (UTC)
 * perfect, thank you. JacktheBrown (talk) 14:17, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

“Ingredients”
The ingredients section is incredibly confusing - it never explicitly says the ingredients and is also written like an essay. Bonelesssboiz (talk) 00:27, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I agree! JacktheBrown (talk) 02:43, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

title: Talk:Cappuccino


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Espresso

Espresso (, ; : espressi) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is characterized by its small serving size, typically 25–30 ml, and its distinctive layers: a dark body topped with a lighter-colored foam called crema.

Espresso machines use pressure to extract a highly concentrated coffee with a complex flavor profile in a short time, usually 25–30 seconds. The result is a beverage with a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids than regular drip coffee, giving espresso its characteristic body and intensity.

Espresso serves as the base for numerous popular coffee drinks, including cappuccino, latte, and americano. It can be made with various types of coffee beans and roast levels, allowing for a wide range of flavors and strengths. The quality of an espresso is influenced by factors such as the grind size, water temperature, pressure, and the barista's skill in tamping the coffee grounds.

While espresso contains more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, its typical serving size results in less caffeine per serving compared to larger drinks like drip coffee. The cultural significance of espresso extends beyond its consumption, playing a central role in coffee shop culture and the third-wave coffee movement, which emphasizes artisanal production and high-quality beans.

Etymology and spelling
Some English dictionaries translate espresso as 'pressed-out', but the word also conveys the senses of expressly for you and quickly:

"The words express, expres and espresso each have several meanings in English, French and Italian. The first meaning is to do with the idea of 'expressing' ('pressing out of') or squeezing the flavour from the coffee using the pressure of the steam. The second meaning is to do with speed, as in a train. Finally there is the notion of doing something 'expressly' for a person ... The first Bezzera and Pavoni espresso machines in 1906 took 45 seconds to make a cup of coffee, one at a time, expressly for you."

Modern espresso, using hot water under pressure, as pioneered by Gaggia in the 1940s, was originally called crema caffè (lit. 'cream coffee'), as seen on old Gaggia machines, due to the crema. This term is no longer used, though crema caffè and variants (caffè crema, café crema) still appear in branding.

The spelling expresso is mostly considered incorrect, though some sources call it a less common variant. It is common in French and Portuguese. Italy uses the term espresso, substituting s for most x letters in Latin-root words, with the term deriving from the past participle of the verb esprimere, itself derived from the Latin exprimere; x is not considered part of the standard Italian alphabet. Italians commonly refer to espresso simply as caffè (lit. 'coffee'), espresso being the ordinary coffee to order. The same happens in Portugal (café), with some regional variations (bica in Lisbon and cimbalino traditionally in Porto). In Spain, while café expreso is seen as the more formal denomination, café solo (alone, without milk) is the usual way to ask for it at an espresso bar. Some sources state that expresso is an incorrect spelling, including Garner's Modern American Usage. While the 'expresso' spelling is recognized as mainstream usage in some American dictionaries, some cooking websites call the 'x' variant illegitimate. Oxford Dictionaries online states: "The spelling expresso is not used in the original Italian and is strictly incorrect, although it is common." The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster call it a variant spelling. The Online Etymology Dictionary calls expresso a variant of espresso. The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style (2000) describes the spelling expresso as "wrong", and specifies espresso as the only correct form. The third edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage, published by the Oxford University Press in 1996, noted that the form espresso "has entirely driven out the variant expresso (which was presumably invented under the impression that it meant 'fast', 'express')".

Precursors
The first espresso machine or prototype was created in France in 1822 by Louis Bernard Rabaut. Although the result remains unknown, the experiment was proven by the drawings.

In 1843, Edouard Loysel de Santais, a Frenchman, built a coffee machine capable of producing 2,000 cups of coffee per hour. He presented this machine, called a "café express", at the Paris Exposition of 1855. However, the machine did not use steam to directly force water through the coffee but rather used steam indirectly and it brewed coffee a potful at a time.

In 1878, German inventor Gustav Adolf Kessel patented a coffee machine called the "Revolver Coffee Machine" that featured most of the key elements of modern espresso machines.

Angelo Moriondo is often erroneously credited for inventing the beverage, since he patented a steam-driven coffee beverage making device in 1884 (No. 33/256), probably the first Italian coffee machine similar to other French and English 1800s steam-driven coffee machines. The device is "almost certainly the first Italian bar machine that controlled the supply of steam and water separately through the coffee".

In 1887, British inventors James Childs and Charles John Jones made significant improvements to espresso machine design, inventing the first portafilter and developing a system that allowed for the consecutive use of water and steam.

Fourteen years later, in 1901, Luigi Bezzera, from Milan, Italy, devised and patented several improved versions of the coffee machine, the first of which was applied for on 19 December 1901. Titled "Innovations in the machinery to prepare and immediately serve coffee beverage"; Patent No. 153/94, 61707, was granted on 5 June 1902. In 1903, the patent was bought by Desiderio Pavoni, who founded the La Pavoni company and began to produce the machine industrially, manufacturing one machine daily in a small workshop in Via Parini, Milan.

Spread
A detailed discussion of the spread of espresso is given in. In Italy, the rise of espresso consumption was associated with industrialization and urbanization, notably in Turin, Genoa, and Milan in northwest Italy. Italians also spread espresso culture into their East African colonies, Italian Somalia and Italian Eritrea. Under the Fascist regime, coffee consumed standing up was subject to price controls, encouraging the "stand at a bar" culture.

In the English-speaking world, espresso became popular, particularly in the form of cappuccino, owing to the tradition of drinking coffee with milk and the exotic appeal of the foam; in the United States, this was more often in the form of lattes, with or without flavored syrups added. The latte is claimed to have been invented in the 1950s by Italian American Lino Meiorin of Caffe Mediterraneum in Berkeley, California, as a long cappuccino, and was then popularized in Seattle and then nationally and internationally by Seattle-based Starbucks in the late 1980s and 1990s.

In the United Kingdom, espresso grew in popularity in the 1950s among youth, who felt more welcome in coffee shops than in pubs. Espresso was initially popular particularly within the Italian diaspora, growing in popularity as tourism to Italy exposed others to espresso, as developed by Eiscafès, established by Italians in Germany. Initially, expatriate Italian espresso bars were seen as downmarket venues, serving the working-class Italian diaspora and thus providing appeal to the alternative subculture; this can still be seen in the United States in Italian American neighborhoods, such as Boston's North End, New York's Little Italy, and San Francisco's North Beach. As specialty coffee developed in the 1980s (following earlier developments in the 1970s and even 1960s), an indigenous artisanal coffee culture developed, with espresso instead positioned as an upmarket drink.

The third-wave coffee movement encompasses espresso machines as a broader coffee culture that values relationships with growers and importers and the craftsmanship involved in making specific coffee-based drinks. The mention of brands like Synesso, La Marzocco, and Slayer, known for their top-notch equipment, highlights the differences between traditional espresso machines and super-automatic machines to achieve a complete coffee preparation.

The significance of espresso machines in coffee culture today lies in their central role in the preparation of espresso-based drinks. Espresso machines are not merely tools for brewing coffee; they are symbols of craftsmanship, quality, and dedication to coffee making.

Characteristics
Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods, with a viscosity similar to that of warm honey. This is due to the higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids and the crema on top (a foam with a creamy consistency). As a result of the pressurized brewing process, the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated.

Espresso contains more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, but as its usual serving size of 25–30 ml (1 US oz) is much smaller than other coffee drinks, the overall caffeine content of a single "serving" of espresso is generally lower than that of other coffees. While the exact caffeine content of any coffee drink will vary, a typical 30 ml serving of espresso contains approximately 65 milligrams of caffeine, but a typical 240 ml serving of drip coffee contains 150–200 mg of caffeine.

The three dispersed phases in espresso are what make the beverage unique. The first dispersed phase is an emulsion of oil droplets. The second phase is suspended solids, while the third is the layer of gas bubbles or foam. The dispersion of very small oil droplets is perceived in the mouth as creamy. This characteristic of espresso contributes to what is known as the body of the beverage. These oil droplets preserve some of the aromatic compounds that are lost to the air in other coffee forms, enhancing the strong flavor of espresso.

The crema is a layer of dense foam that forms on top of the drink. It consists of emulsified oils in the ground coffee turned into a colloid, which does not occur in other brewing methods. Crema is produced when water placed under very high pressure dissolves more carbon dioxide, a gas present inside the coffee that is produced during the roasting process.

Espresso is served on its own, and is also used as the base for various other coffee drinks, including caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, caffè mocha, flat white, and americano.

Process
Espresso is made by forcing very hot water under high pressure through finely ground compacted coffee. There is no universal standard defining the process of extracting espresso, but several published definitions attempt to constrain the amount and type of ground coffee used, the temperature and pressure of the water, and the rate of extraction. Generally, one uses an espresso machine to make espresso.

The act of producing a shot of espresso is often called "pulling" a shot, originating from lever espresso machines, with which a barista pulls down a handle attached to a spring-loaded piston, which forces hot water through the coffee at high pressure. However, it is more common for an electric pump to generate the pressure.

Tamping down the coffee promotes the water's even penetration through the grounds. This process produces a thicker beverage by extracting both solid and dissolved components.

The technical parameters outlined by the Italian Espresso National Institute for making a "certified Italian espresso" are:

Roasts
Any bean or roasting level can be used to produce authentic espresso. For example, in southern Italy, a darker roast is generally preferred. Farther north, the trend moves toward slightly lighter roasts, while outside Italy a wide range is popular.

Variables

The main variables in a shot of espresso are the "size" and "length". This terminology is standardized, but the precise sizes and proportions vary substantially.

Cafés may have a standardized shot (size and length), such as "triple ristretto", only varying the number of shots in espresso-based drinks such as lattes, but not changing the extraction. Changing between a double and a triple requires changing the filter basket size, while changing between ristretto, normale, and lungo may require changing the grind.

The size can be a single, double, or triple, using a proportional amount of ground coffee, roughly 7, 14, and 21 grams; correspondingly sized filter baskets are used. The Italian multiplier term doppio is often used for a double, with solo and triplo being more rarely used for singles and triples. The single shot is the traditional shot size, being the maximum that could easily be pulled on a lever machine. Single baskets are sharply tapered or stepped down in diameter to provide comparable depth to the double baskets and, therefore, comparable resistance to water pressure. Most double baskets are gently tapered (the "Faema model"), while others, such as the La Marzocco, have straight sides. Triple baskets are normally straight-sided. Portafilters will often come with two spouts, usually closely spaced, and a double-size basket. Each spout can optionally dispense into a separate cup, yielding two solo-size (but doppio-brewed) shots, or into a single cup (hence the close spacing). True solo shots are rare, with a single shot in a café generally being half of a doppio shot. In espresso-based drinks in America, particularly larger milk-based drinks, a drink with three or four shots of espresso will be called a "triple" or "quad", respectively.

The length of the shot can be ristretto (or stretto) (reduced), normale or standard (normal), or lungo (long): these may correspond to a smaller or larger drink with the same amount of ground coffee and same level of extraction or to different length of extraction. Proportions vary, and the volume (and low density) of crema makes volume-based comparisons difficult (precise measurement uses the mass of the drink). Typically, ristretto is half the volume of normale, and lungo is double to triple the normale volume. For a double shot (14 grams of dry coffee), a normale uses about 60 ml of water. A double ristretto, a common form associated with espresso, uses half the amount of water, about 30 ml. Ristretto, normale, and lungo may not simply be the same shot stopped at different times (which could result in an under- or over-extracted shot), but have the grind adjusted (finer for ristretto, coarser for lungo) to achieve the target volume. A significantly longer shot is the caffè crema, which is longer than a lungo, ranging in size from 120 - 240 ml, and brewed in the same way, with a coarser grind. Passing too much water through the ground coffee can add other, potentially unpleasant flavors to the espresso.

Machines

Home espresso machines have increased in popularity with the general rise of interest in espresso. Today, a wide range of home espresso equipment can be found in kitchen and appliance stores, online vendors, and department stores. The first espresso machine for home use was the Gaggia Gilda. Soon afterwards, similar machines such as the Faema Faemina, FE-AR La Peppina, and VAM Caravel followed suit, with similar form factors and operational principles. These machines still have a small but dedicated share of fans. Until the advent of the first small electrical pump-based espresso machines, such as the Gaggia Baby and Quickmill 810, home espresso machines were not widely adopted. In recent years, the increased availability of convenient countertop fully automatic home espresso makers and pod-based espresso serving systems has increased the quantity of espresso consumed at home. The popularity of home espresso making parallels the increase of home coffee roasting. Some amateurs pursue both home roasting coffee and making espresso.

Nutrition
In a 100 ml (grams, 3.5 oz) reference amount, espresso has significant levels of dietary mineral magnesium, the B vitamins niacin and riboflavin, and around 212 mg of caffeine per 100 grams of liquid brewed coffee (table).

Espresso-based drinks
In addition to being served alone, espresso is frequently blended, notably with milk, either steamed (without significant foam), wet foamed (microfoam) and dry foamed, or with hot water.

Other variants:

 * Caffè crema: "long" espresso from more water and coarser ground coffee, approximately 120–180 ml
 * Espresso con panna: espresso with cream
 * Viennese coffee: 2 shots of espresso with whipped cream
 * Long black: similar to an americano, but on the contrary, hot water is poured into one shot of espresso
 * Caffè mocha: caffè latte with chocolate
 * Espresso martini: espresso with coffee liqueur and vodka
 * Caffè corretto ('corrected coffee'): espresso with brandy, grappa, or sambuca
 * Espresso and tonic

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Espresso


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Perkele

Perkele is a Finnish word meaning 'evil spirit' and a popular Finnish profanity, used similarly to the English phrase god damn, although it is considered much more profane. It is most likely the most internationally known Finnish curse word.

Etymology
The name is of Indo-European origin; Perkwunos is the reconstructed name of the god of thunder.

Some researchers consider Perkele to be an original name of the thunder god Ukko, the chief god of the Finnish pagan pantheon, but this view is not shared by all researchers. There are related words in other Finnic languages: in Estonian, põrgu means hell, in Karelian perkeleh means an evil spirit.

Influence of Christianity
As Finland was Christianized, the ancient pre-Christian deities came to be regarded as demons. This led to the use of "Perkele" as a translation for "Devil" in the Finnish translation of the Bible. Later, in other translations, the word was rendered as paholainen (the evil one).

title: Perkele


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Antonov

Antonov Company, formerly the Aeronautical Scientific-Technical Complex named after Antonov (Antonov ASTC), and earlier the Antonov Design Bureau, for its chief designer, Oleg Antonov, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company. Antonov's particular expertise is in the fields of very large aeroplanes and aeroplanes using unprepared runways. Antonov (model prefix "An-") has built a total of approximately 22,000 aircraft, and thousands of its planes are operating in the former Soviet Union and in developing countries.

Antonov Company is a state-owned commercial company originally established in Novosibirsk, Russia. In 1952, the company relocated to Kyiv, USSR, then part of the Soviet Union. On 12 May 2015, it was transferred from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to the Ukroboronprom (Ukrainian Defense Industry).

In June 2016, Ukraine's major state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom announced the creation of the Ukrainian Aircraft Corporation within its structure, to combine all aircraft manufacturing enterprises in Ukraine.

Foundation and relocation
The company was established in 1946 at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association as the top-secret Soviet Research and Design Bureau No. 153 (OKB-153). It was headed by Oleg Antonov and specialised in turboprop military transport aircraft. The task was to create an agricultural aircraft CX-1 (An-2), the first flight of which occurred on 31 August 1947. The An-2 biplane was a major achievement of this period, with hundreds of these aircraft still operating as of 2013. In addition to this biplane and its modifications, a small series of gliders A-9 and A-10 were created and built in the pilot production in Novosibirsk. In 1952, the Bureau was relocated to Kyiv, a city with a rich aviation history and an aircraft-manufacturing infrastructure restored after the destruction caused by World War II.

First serial aircraft and expansion

The 1957 introduction of the An-10/An-12 family of mid-range turboprop aeroplanes began the successful production of thousands of these aircraft. Their use for both heavy combat and civilian purposes around the globe continues to the present; the An-10/An-12 were used most notably in the Vietnam War, the Soviet–Afghan War and the Chernobyl disaster relief megaoperation.

In 1959, the bureau began construction of the separate Flight Testing and Improvement Base in suburban Hostomel (now the Antonov Airport).

In 1965, the Antonov An-22 heavy military transport entered serial production to supplement the An-12 in major military and humanitarian airlifts by the Soviet Union. The model became the first Soviet wide-body aircraft, and it remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft. Antonov designed and presented a nuclear-powered version of the An-22. It was never flight tested.

In 1966, after the major expansion in the Sviatoshyn neighbourhood of the city, the company was renamed to another disguise name: "Kyiv Mechanical Plant". Two independent aircraft production and repair facilities, under engineering supervision of the Antonov Bureau, also appeared in Kyiv during this period.

Prominence and Antonov's retirement

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the company established itself as the Soviet Union's main designer of military transport aircraft with dozens of new modifications in development and production. After Oleg Antonov's death in 1984, the company was officially renamed as the Research and Design Bureau named after O.K. Antonov (Опытно-конструкторское бюро имени О.К. Антонова) while continuing the use of "Kyiv Mechanical Plant" alias for some purposes.

Late Soviet-era: superlarge projects and first commercialisation

In the late 1980s, the Antonov Bureau achieved global prominence after the introduction of its extra large aeroplanes. The An-124 "Ruslan" (1982) became the Soviet Union's mass-produced strategic airlifter under the leadership of Chief Designer Viktor Tolmachev. The Bureau enlarged the "Ruslan" design even more for the Soviet spaceplane programme logistics, creating the An-225 "Mriya" in 1985. "Mriya" was the world's largest and heaviest aeroplane.

The end of the Cold War and perestroika allowed the Antonov company's first step to commercialisation and foreign expansion. In 1989, the Antonov Airlines subsidiary was created for its own aircraft maintenance and cargo projects.

Independent Ukraine
Antonov Design Bureau remained a state-owned company after Ukraine achieved its independence in 1991 and is since regarded as a strategic national asset.

Expansion to free market

Since independence, Antonov has certified and marketed both Soviet-era and newly developed models for sale in new markets outside of the former soviet-sphere of influence. New models introduced to serial production and delivered to customers include the Antonov An-140, Antonov An-148 and Antonov An-158 regional airliners.

Among several modernisation projects, Antonov received orders for upgrading "hundreds" of its An-2 utility planes still in operation in Azerbaijan, Cuba and Russia to the An-2-100 upgrade version.

In 2014, following the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, Ukraine cancelled contracts with Russia, leading to a significant income reduction in Ukraine's defense and aviation industries. However Ukraine has been slowly recovering the deficit from breaking ties with Russia by entering new markets such as the Persian Gulf region and expanding its presence in old ones such as India.

In July 2018, Antonov was able to secure a deal with Boeing in order to procure airplane parts which were no longer available due to breakdown of relations with Russia.

Production facilities' consolidation
During the Soviet period, not all Antonov-designed aircraft were manufactured by the company itself. This was a result of Soviet industrial strategy that split military production between different regions of the Soviet Union to minimise potential war loss risks. As a result, Antonov aeroplanes were often assembled by the specialist contract manufacturers.

In 2009, the once-independent "Aviant" aeroplane-assembling plant in Kyiv became part of Antonov, facilitating a full serial manufacturing cycle of the company. However, the old tradition of co-manufacturing with contractors is continued, both with Soviet-time partners and with new licensees like Iran's Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company.

In 2014, the Antonov produced and delivered only two An-158 airplanes. This trend continued onto 2015, producing one An-148 and one An-158. Since 2016, no aircraft have been produced or delivered to clients.

In June 2016, Ukraine's major state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom announced the creation of the Ukrainian Aircraft Corporation within its structure, thereby combining all aircraft manufacturing enterprises, including the assets of Antonov into a single cluster, according to Ukroboronprom's press service.

On 19 July 2017, the Ukrainian government approved the liquidation of Antonov's assets. The State Concern "Antonov" (a business group, created in 2005 from the merger of several legally independent companies into a single economic entity under unified management) will be liquidated as a residual corporate entity. Antonov State Company, Kharkiv State Aviation Manufacturing Enterprise and Plant No.410 of Civil Aviation were transferred under the management of another state-owned concern Ukroboronprom in 2015. Antonov State Company continues to function as an enterprise.

On 31 March 2017, the first prototype of a new multifunctional cargo plane An-132 – a demonstration plane An-132D – took to the air from the runway of Sviatoshyn airfield. The An-132 development program had been implemented in the framework of a contract with a customer from Saudi Arabia.

On 24 February 2022, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the first attacks were launched at Kyiv-Antonov-2 airfield, the site of Antonov's test flights and home base of the planes of Antonov Airlines. The planes An-26, An-74 and administrative premises were destroyed. The planes Аn-225 Mriya, Аn-12, Аn-22, Аn-28, Аn-132D and Аn-124-100-150, the hangars and other infrastructure were severely damaged.

The Security Service of Ukraine established that the former director general of Antonov Company Serhiy Bychkov had not provided access to the site for the National Guard in January and February 2022 and thus obstructed preparations for defence.

The investigators consider that Bychkov's negligence is the direct cause of the loss of Mriya, because the plane could have been sent to Germany long before February 24. In March 2023, Serhiy Bychkov was arrested, in April he faced formal suspicion in connection with the loss of An-225 Mriya and damages to Antonov amounting to ₴8.4 million.

Composition

 * Antonov Serial Production Plant (formerly Kyiv Aviation Factory "Aviant") – Kyiv
 * Kharkiv Aviation Factory – Kharkiv
 * Antonov – Kyiv
 * Civil Aviation Factory 441 – Kyiv

Airfields

 * Sviatoshyn Airfield, Aviant factory in Kyiv
 * Hostomel Airport, freight airport in Hostomel

Products and activities

Fields of commercial activity of Antonov ASTC include:
 * Aircraft design and manufacturing
 * Cargo air transport (Antonov Airlines)
 * Aircraft maintenance, testing, certification and upgrading
 * Aerospace-related research and engineering
 * "Aerial Launch": a joint Russian-Ukrainian project of midair spacecraft space launch from aboard a modified version of the An-225.
 * Operation of the Hostomel airport (Antonov Airport)
 * Medium-capacity rail transport system RADAN
 * Construction of LT-10A trams (with aluminium body)
 * Construction and manufacturing of Kiev-12 trolley buses (a spin-off, using existing technical expertise).

Contract and licensee manufacturers

 * Tashkent Aviation Production Association (formerly Tashkent State Aviation Plant) – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
 * Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) – Shahin Shahr, Iran
 * Voronezh Aircraft Production Association (VASO) – Voronezh, Russia

Chief designers

 * Oleg Antonov: 1946–1984
 * Petro Balabuiev: 1984–2005
 * Dmytro Kiva: since 2005

Aircraft
Antonov's primary activity has generally been in developing large military transport aircraft, including the world's largest airplanes, chiefly for the Russian Federation and its predecessor nations.

Additionally, Antonov has produced airliners. It has also produced numerous variants of both transports and airliners, for operations ranging from air freight hauling to military reconnaissance, command and control operations.

It has also developed various general aviation light aircraft, having originated as a producer of gliders.

Transports, airliners and derivatives
Antonov's aeroplanes (design office prefix An) range from the rugged An-2 biplane through the An-28 reconnaissance aircraft to the massive An-124 Ruslan and An-225 Mriya strategic airlifters (the latter being the world's heaviest aircraft and was the only one in service).

Sometimes defunct and sometimes normal, the An-24, An-26, An-30 and An-32 family of twin turboprop, high-winged, passenger-cargo-troop transport aircraft are important for domestic/short-haul air services particularly in parts of the world once led by communist governments. The An-72/An-74 series of small jetliners is slowly replacing that fleet, and a larger An-70 freighter is under certification.

The Antonov An-148 is a new regional airliner of twin-turbofan configuration. Over 150 aircraft have been ordered since 2007. A stretched version is in development, the An-158 (from 60–70 to 90–100 passengers).

title: Antonov


text:
Breguet

Breguet may refer to:

 * Breguet (watch), watch manufacturer
 * Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823), Swiss watchmaker
 * Louis-François-Clement Breguet (1804–1883), French physicist, watchmaker, electrical and telegraph work
 * Breguet Aviation, a defunct French aircraft manufacturer
 * Louis Charles Breguet (1880–1955), French airplane designer
 * Breguet School, now known as École supérieure d'ingénieurs en électronique et électrotechnique (ESIEE)

title: Breguet


text:
British Aerospace

British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer that was formed in 1977. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. It purchased Marconi Electronic Systems, the defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of the General Electric Company, in 1999 to form BAE Systems.

Formation and privatisation
The company has its origins in the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, which called for the nationalisation and merger of the British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and Scottish Aviation. On 29 April 1977, the new entity was formed in the United Kingdom as a statutory corporation.

Under the provisions of the British Aerospace Act 1980 (c. 26), on 1 January the statutory corporation was transferred to a limited company, which then re-registered as a public limited company (plc), under the name "British Aerospace Public Limited Company", on 2 January 1981. BAe was privatised in two main phases, the first in February 1981, involving 51.6% shares of the company, during which the public sale was 3.5 times subscribed and at the end of the first day's trading, share prices were 14% above the original offer price. The second phase occurred in May 1985, in which 48.4% shares were sold; this sale was 5.4 times subscribed and the first day closing price was 11% above the initial offer price. The British Government maintained a £1 golden share, which allowed it to veto foreign control of the board or company.

Programmes
British Aerospace inherited a number of live development programmes from its predecessors. Scottish Aviation was working on a project for a 19-seat turboprop airliner, an upgraded version of the Handley Page Jetstream. BAe placed the Jetstream 31 into production after the first flight of the prototype in March 1980. At the same time, production of Hawker Siddeley's HS 125 business jet, Harrier VTOL jet fighter and HS 748 turboprop airliner continued under BAe, as did that of the Trident jet airliner for a short time. Similarly, low-rate production of the British Aircraft Corporation's One-Eleven jet airliner, the Strikemaster two-seat military jet trainer/attack aircraft, and the iconic Concorde supersonic airliner also continued.

On 29 July 1976, less than a year prior to BAe's formation, the contract for production of the first batch of the Panavia Tornado, an advanced nuclear-capable fighter bomber, was signed. It was developed and produced via a multinational company, Panavia Aircraft GmbH, of which BAe was one of several companies to be heavily involved. On 10 July 1979, the maiden flight of a production Tornado occurred. On 5 and 6 June 1979, the first aircraft were delivered to the RAF and German Air Force respectively. On 25 September 1981, the first Italian Tornado was delivered.

The Tornado would be produced in large numbers, the 500th aircraft to be completed was delivered to West Germany on 19 December 1987. Production of the Tornado ended in 1998, the final batch being delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force, that had ordered a total of 96 IDS Tornados. Aviation author Jon Lake noted that "The Trinational Panavia Consortium produced just short of 1,000 Tornados, making it one of the most successful postwar bomber programs".

In 1978, BAe relaunched the BAe 146, a short-haul regional airliner that had been previously worked on by Hawker Siddeley. The company marketed it as a quiet and economic turbofan-powered compact airliner that could replace the previous generation of turboprop-powered feeder aircraft. In 1982, the first completed aircraft made its first flight. Upon its launch into service the following year, it was hailed as being "the world's quietest jetliner". In 1993, an upgraded model of the BAe 146, referred to as the Avro RJ series, superseded the original; changes included the replacement of the original Lycoming ALF 502 turbofan engines by higher-thrust LF 507 turbofan engines, which were housed in redesigned nacelles. The Avro RJ series also featured a modernised cockpit with EFIS replacing the analogue ADI, HSI, and engine instrumentation. Production of the Avro RJ ended with the final four aircraft being delivered in late 2003; a total of 173 Avro RJ aircraft was delivered between 1993 and 2003.

BAe developed several advanced models of the Harrier family. In 1978, the Royal Navy received the first BAe Sea Harrier of an initial order for 24. The Sea Harrier was declared operational three years later, being initially embarked on both the first Invincible class aircraft carrier HMS Invincible, and the older HMS Hermes. Following their decisive role in the 1982 Falklands War, several of the lessons learnt from the conflict shaped a new upgrade programme for the fleet authorised in 1984, resulting in the Sea Harrier FRS.2 (later known as FA2). The first flight of the prototype took place in September 1988 and a contract was signed for 29 upgraded aircraft in December of that year. The Sea Harrier FA2 was fitted with the Blue Vixen radar, which was described as one of the most advanced pulse doppler radar systems in the world.

In August 1981, BAe and the American aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II. Under this agreement, BAe was effectively a subcontractor rather than a full partner, receiving 40 per cent of the airframe's work-share in terms of man-hours. Production took place at McDonnell Douglas' facilities in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, and manufacturing by BAe at its Kingston and Dunsfold facilities in Surrey, England. The variant procured for the RAF, which was known as the BAe Harrier II, featured many differences, including avionics fit, armaments and equipment; the wing of the GR5 featured a stainless steel leading edge, giving it different flex characteristics from the AV-8B. In December 1989, the first RAF squadron to be equipped with the Harrier II was declared operational.

In 1979, BAe officially joined the multinational aircraft manufacturer Airbus and acquired a 20% share in the venture, the move effectively reversed a decision made ten years prior in which the UK government had withdrawn its support for the Airbus consortium. Airbus' first aircraft, the A300, had been received with little initial demand, but orders for the airliner had picked up in the late 1970s. By 1979, the consortium had 256 orders for A300, and Airbus had launched its second airliner, the A310, less than 12 months prior to BAe formally joining the consortium. As time went on, it was becoming clear that Airbus was no longer a temporary collaboration to produce a single design as per its original mission statement; it had become a long-term brand for the development of further aircraft. By the late 1980s, work had begun on a pair of new wide-body airliners, the biggest to be produced at this point under the Airbus name; these would be launched in the 1990s as the Airbus A330 and the Airbus A340.

During the 1983 Paris Air Show, the launch of the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP) to develop and fly an advanced fighter technology demonstrator was announced; at this point, the effort was intended to be a partnership between Britain and several of its European neighbours, including West Germany and Italy. The resulting aircraft, the British Aerospace EAP, ended up being primarily developed by BAe as a private venture; it formed the basis for the multinational Eurofighter Typhoon. In 1986, in conjunction Alenia Aeronautica, CASA and DASA, BAe formed Eurofighter GmbH for the development and production of the Eurofighter. The multinational organisation's head office was established in Hallbergmoos, Bavaria, Germany. The maiden flight of the Eurofighter prototype took place in Bavaria on 27 March 1994, flown by DASA chief test pilot Peter Weger. On 30 January 1998, the first production contract for the Eurofighter was signed between Eurofighter GmbH, engine manufacturer Eurojet and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, the organisation set up to manage the procurement of the aircraft.

On 26 September 1985, the UK and Saudi Arabian governments signed the Al-Yamamah arms deal with BAe as prime contractor. The contracts, extended in the 1990s and never fully detailed, involved the supply of Panavia Tornado strike and air defence aircraft, BAe Hawk trainer jets, Rapier missile systems, infrastructure works and naval vessels. The Al Yamamah deals are valued at anything up to £20 billion and still continue to provide a large percentage of BAE Systems' profits.

Acquisitions and restructuring
BAe acquired Royal Ordnance, the British armaments manufacturer, for £190 million on 22 April 1987. The German armaments specialist Heckler & Koch was folded into this division after BAe acquired it four years later.

In 1988, BAe purchased the Rover Group from the British government of Margaret Thatcher for £150 million. The sale was controversial due to opaque financial arrangements between the government and BAe; however the House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee was said to believe that "in spite of a catalogue of complaints, the committee concludes that the sale to BAe may well have been the best solution for the government."

In 1991, BAe acquired a 30% interest in Hutchison Telecommunications through a stock swap deal, where Hutchison was given a controlling stake of 65% in BAe's wholly owned subsidiary Microtel Communications Ltd. In August 1991, BAe formed a naval systems joint venture, BAeSEMA, with the Sema Group. BAe acquired Sema's 50% share in 1998. That year also saw BAe begin to experience major difficulties. BAe saw its share price fall below 100p for the first time. On 9 September 1991, the company issued a profits warning and later that week "bungled" the launch of a £432 million rights issue. On 25 September 1991 BAe directors led by CEO Richard Evans ousted the Chairman Professor Sir Roland Smith in a move described by The Independent as "one of the most spectacular and brutal boardroom coups witnessed in many years." Evans described the troubles as a confluence of events: "'our property company [Arlington Securities] was hit with a lousy market. Sales of the Rover Group sank by about a fifth and losses mounted. The government's defence spending volumes underwent a major review. Losses in our commercial aerospace division increased dramatically with the recession in the airline industry.'"

In mid-1992, BAe wrote off £1 billion of assets, largely as part of redundancies and restructuring of its regional aircraft division. This was the largest asset write-off in UK corporate history. General Electric Company (GEC), later to sell its defence interests to BAe, came close to acquiring BAe at this time. BAe cut 47% of its workforce (60,000 out of 127,000), 40,000 of which were from the regional aircraft division.

Evans decided to sell non-core business activities, which included the Rover Group, Arlington Securities, BAe Corporate Jets, BAe Communications and Ballast Nedam. Although the rationale of diversification was sound (to shield the company from cyclical aerospace and defence markets) the struggling company could not afford to continue the position: "We simply could not afford to carry two core businesses, cars and aerospace. At one point Rover was eating up about £2 billion of our banking capacity." BAe Corporate Jets and Arkansas Aerospace were sold to Raytheon in 1993. In 1994, the Rover Group was sold to BMW and British Aerospace Space Systems was sold to Matra Marconi Space. In 1998, BAe's shareholding of Orange plc was reduced to 5%. The Orange shareholding was a legacy of the 30% stake in Hutchison Telecommunications (UK) Ltd.

In 1994, BAeSEMA, Siemens Plessey and GEC-Marconi formed UKAMS Limited as part of the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) consortium. UKAMS would become a wholly owned subsidiary of BAe Dynamics in 1998. In 1995, Saab Military Aircraft and BAe signed an agreement for the joint development and marketing of the export version of the JAS 39 Gripen. In 1996, BAe and Matra Defense agreed to merge their missile businesses into a joint venture called Matra BAe Dynamics. In 1997, BAe joined the Lockheed Martin X-35 Joint Strike Fighter team. The following year, BAe acquired the UK operations of Siemens Plessey Systems (SPS) from Siemens, while DASA purchased SPS' German assets.

In the 1990s, BAe was the largest exporter based in the United Kingdom; a Competition Commission report released in 2005 calculated a ten-year aggregate figure of £45 billion, with defence sales accounting for approximately 80%.

Transition to BAE Systems
In the late 1990s, European defence consolidation became a prevailing practice; European governments wished to see the merger of their defence manufacturers into a single entity, a European Aerospace and Defence Company. This ambition led to numerous reports linking various European defence groups – mainly with each other but also with American defence contractors. In July 1998, merger discussions began between BAe and DASA. Terms for such a merger had been reportedly agreed between British Aerospace Chairman Richard Evans and DASA CEO Jürgen Schrempp in December 1998. However, when the British General Electric Company (GEC) put its defence electronics business Marconi Electronic Systems (MES) up for sale on 22 December 1998, BAe's management opted to abandon the DASA merger in favour of purchasing its British rival. During 2004, Evans stated that his fear was that an American defence contractor would acquire MES and challenge both British Aerospace and DASA.

Schrempp was angered by BAe's reversal, and opted to pursue other partner companies for DASA to merge with. On 11 June 1999, the Spanish aircraft company CASA a memorandum of understanding for such a merger. On 14 October 1999, DASA agreed to merge with Aérospatiale-Matra to create the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). 10 July 2000 was "day one" for the new company, which became the world's second-largest aerospace company after Boeing and the second-largest European arms manufacturer after BAE Systems.

The GEC merger to create a solely British company, compared to the prospective Anglo-German company that would have resulted from merging with DASA, was promoted as having superior prospects for further penetration of the lucrative defence market of the United States. The newly combined company, which was initially referred to as "New British Aerospace", was officially formed on 30 November 1999; it is named BAE Systems.

Airliner/Commercial

 * BAe Avro 748 - (1960-limited) - (Mid-size turboprop)
 * BAe / Hawker Trident - (1964-1995) - (Narrow-body jetliner)
 * BAe Vickers VC10 - (1964-2013) - (Narrow-body jetliner & aerial refueler)
 * British Aerospace 125 - (1964-limited) - (Mid-size business jet)
 * BAe / Handley Page Jetstream - (1967-2011) - (small-size turboprop)
 * BAe / Aerospatiale Concorde - (1969-2003) - (Supersonic jetliner)
 * British Aerospace Jetstream 31 - (1980-present) - (small-size turboprop)
 * British Aerospace 146 - (1981-present) - (Mid-size jetliner. Series −100, −200, −300 & Avro RJ)
 * BAe Hawker 800 - (1983-present) - (Mid-size business jet)
 * British Aerospace ATP - (1986-present) - (Mid-size turboprop)
 * British Aerospace Jetstream 41 - (1992-present) - (small-size turboprop)

Trainer

 * BAe Provost - (1954-1993) - (Basic jet trainer)
 * BAe Bulldog - (1969-present) - (Basic turboprop trainer)
 * British Aerospace Hawk - (1974-present) - (Advanced jet trainer)
 * BAe / McDonnell Douglas Goshawk - (1988-present) - (Advanced jet trainer)

Military

 * BAe Canberra - (1949-2007) - (Medium bomber)
 * Hawker / BAe Hunter - (1951-limited) - (Fighter-bomber)
 * BAe Victor - (1952-1993) - (Strategic heavy bomber & aerial refueler)
 * BAe Avro vulcan - (1952-2015) - (Strategic heavy bomber)
 * BAe Lightning - (1954-1988) - (Interceptor fighter)
 * BAe Buccaneer - (1958-1994) - (Maritime strike fighter)
 * BAC/BAe Strikemaster - (1967-1993) - (Attack fighter)
 * Hawker / BAe Nimrod - (1967-2011) - (Maritime patrol)
 * Hawker / BAe Nimrod R1 - (1973-2011) - (Reconnaissance)
 * British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3 - (1980-1986) - (Airborne early warning)
 * BAE Nimrod MRA.4 - (2004) - (Maritime patrol, cancelled)
 * Hawker / BAe Harrier - (1967-2006) - (VSTOL fighter)
 * Harrier jump jet - (1967-limited) - (VSTOL fighter)
 * British Aerospace Sea Harrier - (1978-2016) - (VSTOL fighter)
 * British Aerospace Harrier II - (1985-2011) - (VSTOL fighter)
 * SEPECAT Jaguar - (1968-limited) - (Attack fighter)
 * Panavia Tornado - (1974-present) - (Multirole strike fighter)
 * Panavia Tornado ADV - (1979-2011) - (Interceptor fighter)
 * British Aerospace P.125 - (1980s) - (Experimental fighter, cancelled)
 * British Aerospace P.1216 - (1980s) - (Experimental fighter, cancelled)
 * British Aerospace EAP - (1986) - (Experimental fighter, developed into Eurofighter Typhoon)
 * British Aerospace Hawk 200 - (1986-present) - (Multirole light fighter)
 * BAe / Saab Gripen - (1988-present) - (Multirole fighter)
 * Eurofighter Typhoon - (1994-present) - (Air-superiority multirole fighter)
 * BAE Replica - (2010s) - (Fifth Generation strike fighter, cancelled)
 * BAE Systems Tempest - (under development) - (Sixth Generation fighter)

Airliner wings

 * Airbus A300
 * Airbus A310
 * Airbus A320 family
 * Airbus A330
 * Airbus A340
 * Airbus Beluga
 * Avion de Transport Supersonique Futur – project

Missiles

 * ALARM - (Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile)
 * Rapier - (Surface-to-air missile)
 * Sea Dart - (Surface-to-air & surface-to-surface missile)
 * Sea Eagle - (Surface-to-surface anti-ship missile)
 * Sea Skua - (Air-to-surface anti-ship missile)
 * Sea Wolf - (Surface-to-air missile)
 * Skyflash - (Air-to-air missile)
 * Skylark - (Sounding rocket)
 * S225XR - (Air-to-air missile, cancelled)

Unmanned air vehicles

 * BAe Flybac
 * BAE Systems Phoenix
 * BAE SkyEye
 * BAe Stabileye

Space hardware

 * Giotto probe
 * HOTOL
 * Olympus-1
 * Orbital Test Satellite
 * Skynet (satellites)

Security systems

 * CONDOR CONtraband DetectOR
 * Vehicle Cargo X-Ray Systems

Corruption investigation and criticisms
There have been allegations that the Al Yamamah contracts were a result of bribes ("douceurs") to members of the Saudi royal family and government officials. Some allegations suggested that the former Prime Minister's son Mark Thatcher may have been involved; he has strongly denied receiving payments or exploiting his mother's connections in his business dealings. The National Audit Office investigated the contracts and has so far never released its conclusions – the only NAO report ever to be withheld. The BBC's Newsnight observed that it is ironic that the once classified report analysing the construction of MI5's Thames House and MI6's Vauxhall Cross headquarters has been released, but the Al Yamamah report is still deemed too sensitive.

The 2007 documentary film Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines contained evidence that vital data was withheld from a 1999–2000 Australian Senate Inquiry into the health and flight safety issues relating to oil fumes on the British Aerospace 146. The film also contains an Australian Senator's speech about money being paid by BAe for silence on the fumes issue.

title: British Aerospace


text:
Marconi Electronic Systems

Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of General Electric Company (GEC). It was demerged from GEC and bought by British Aerospace (BAe) on 30 November 1999 to form BAE Systems. GEC then renamed itself Marconi plc.

MES exists today as BAE Systems Electronics Limited, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, but the assets were rearranged elsewhere within that company. MES-related businesses include BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, BAE Systems Surface Ships, BAE Systems Insyte and Selex ES (now a part of Leonardo).

History

The Marconi Company had been formed by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897 in Britain, originally under the name of The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company. Following GEC's acquisition of Marconi as part of English Electric in 1968, the Marconi brand was used for its defence businesses, e.g. Marconi Space & Defence Systems (MSDS), Marconi Underwater Systems Ltd (MUSL).

When it was bought by General Electric, MES represented the pinnacle of GEC's defence businesses which had a heritage of almost 100 years. GEC's history of military products dates back to World War I with its contribution to the war effort then including radios and bulbs. World War II consolidated this position with the company involved in many important technological advances, most notably radar.

Between 1945 and GEC's demerger of its defence business in 1999, the company became a major defence contractor. GEC's major defence related acquisitions included Associated Electrical Industries in 1967, English Electric Company (including Marconi as a subsidiary) in 1968, Yarrow Shipbuilders in 1985, parts of Ferranti's defence business in 1990, Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in 1995 and Kvaerner Govan in 1999. In June 1998, MES acquired Tracor, a major American defence contractor, for US$1.4 billion.

Demerger
The 1997 merger of American corporations Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, which followed the forming of Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defence contractor in 1995, increased the pressure on European defence companies to consolidate. In June 1997, British Aerospace Defence managing director John Weston commented "Europe... is supporting three times the number of contractors on less than half the budget of the U.S.". European governments wished to see the merger of their defence manufacturers into a single entity, a European Aerospace and Defence Company.

As early as 1995, British Aerospace and the German aerospace and defence company DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) were said to be keen to create a transnational aerospace and defence company. Merger discussions began between British Aerospace and DASA in July 1998. A merger was agreed between British Aerospace chairman Richard Evans and DASA CEO Jürgen Schrempp in December 1998.

GEC was also under pressure to participate in defence industry consolidation. Reporting the appointment of George Simpson as GEC managing director in 1996, The Independent had said "some analysts believe that Mr Simpson's inside knowledge of BAe, a long-rumoured GEC bid target, was a key to his appointment. GEC favours forging a national "champion" defence group with BAe to compete with the giant US organisations". When GEC put MES up for sale on 22 December 1998, BAE abandoned the DASA merger in favour of purchasing its British rival. The merger of British Aerospace and MES was announced on 19 January 1999. Evans stated that in 2004 that his fear was that an American defence contractor would acquire MES and challenge both British Aerospace and DASA. The merger created a vertically integrated company which The Scotsman described as "[a combination of British Aerospace's] contracting and platform-building skills with Marconi's coveted electronics systems capability". for example combining the manufacturer of the Eurofighter with the company that provided many of the aircraft's electronic systems; British Aerospace was MES' largest customer. In contrast, DASA's response to the breakdown of the merger discussion was to merge with Aérospatiale to create the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), a horizontal integration. EADS has since considered a merger with Thales to create a "fully rounded" company.

While MES was responsible for the majority of GEC's defence sales other GEC companies achieved defence related sales, principally GEC Alsthom, GEC-Plessey Telecommunications (GPT) and GEC Plessey Semiconductors.

Organisation

 * Marconi Avionics
 * Marconi North America
 * Marconi Naval Systems
 * Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS)
 * Matra Marconi Space
 * Thomson Marconi Sonar
 * Marconi Research Centre
 * Marconi Radar Systems
 * Marconi Communications Systems

Major projects
This is a partial list:
 * Produced 12 of the class of 16 Type 23 frigates. Also the major electronics & equipment supplier for the class.
 * Civil avionics, e.g. Boeing 777 fly-by-wire systems
 * UK Prime Contractor on the Horizon CNGF programme until 1999. Following the withdrawal of the UK from the programme MES was awarded the subsequent Type 45 destroyer Prime Contractor position several days before merging with BAe.
 * Part of Raytheon ASTOR bid team
 * Royal Navy Astute-class submarine fleet submarines
 * Brimstone Anti-Armour Missile
 * TIALD laser designator pod
 * AI.24 Foxhunter, radar for the Tornado
 * ECR-90, radar for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
 * Member of Boeing X-32 JSF development team
 * Battlefield Artillery Target Engagement System (BATES) for use with MLRS and AS-90

Naval weapons

 * Spearfish torpedo
 * Sting Ray torpedo

Spacecraft

 * Ariel 6
 * Prospero X-3
 * Zircon (satellite)

title: Marconi Electronic Systems


text:
AviaBellanca Aircraft

AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation was an American aircraft design and manufacturing company. Prior to 1983, it was known as the Bellanca Aircraft Company. The company was founded in 1927 by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca, although it was preceded by previous businesses and partnerships in which aircraft with the Bellanca name were produced, including Wright-Bellanca, in which he was in partnership with Wright Aeronautical.

In 2021 the company was reformed as Bellanca Aircraft, Inc and located in Sulphur, Oklahoma. The new company supplies maintenance and aircraft parts, for the legacy Cruisemaster and Viking aircraft.

History
After Giuseppe Mario Bellanca, the designer and builder of Italy's first aircraft, moved to the United States in 1911, he began to design aircraft for a number of firms, including the Maryland Pressed Steel Company, Wright Aeronautical Corporation and the Columbia Aircraft Corporation. Bellanca founded his own company, Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of America, in 1927, sited first in Richmond Hill, New York and moving in 1928 to New Castle (Wilmington), Delaware. In the 1920s and 1930s, Bellanca's aircraft of his own design were known for their efficiency and low operating cost, gaining fame for world record endurance and distance flights. Lindbergh's first choice for his New York to Paris flight was a Bellanca WB-2. The company's insistence on selecting the crew drove Lindbergh to Ryan.

Bellanca remained president and chairman of the board from the corporation's inception on the last day of 1927 until he sold the company to L. Albert and Sons in 1954. From that time on, the Bellanca line was part of a succession of companies that maintained the lineage of the original aircraft produced by Bellanca.

In 2022, the company moved from Alexandria, Minnesota to Sulphur, Oklahoma. While as of 2024 the company website states "Bellanca recently opened a new aircraft factory and maintenance facility in Sulphur, Oklahoma," no new aircraft have been recently produced.

Famous individual aircraft

 * Lituanica
 * Miss Veedol
 * The American Nurse

title: AviaBellanca Aircraft


text:
Santa Maria in Palmis

Santa Maria in Palmis (Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Piante; Sanctae Mariae in Palmis), also known as Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis, is a small church southeast of Rome. It is located about some 800 m from Porta San Sebastiano, where the Via Ardeatina branches off the Appian Way, on the site where, according to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, Saint Peter met the risen Christ while Peter was fleeing persecution in Rome. According to the tradition, Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" (Domine, quo vadis?). Christ answered, "I am going to Rome to be crucified again" (Eo Romam iterum crucifigi).

History
There has been a sanctuary on the spot since the ninth century, but the current church is from 1637. The current façade was added in the 17th century.

It has been supposed that the sanctuary might have been even more ancient, perhaps a Christian adaptation of some already existing temple: the church is in fact located just in front of the sacred campus dedicated to Rediculus, the Roman "God of the Return". This campus hosted a sanctuary for the cult of the deity that received devotion by travellers before their departure, especially by those who were going to face long and dangerous journeys to far places like Egypt, Greece or the East. Those travellers who returned also stopped to thank the god for the happy outcome of their journey.

The presence of the Apostle Peter in this area, where he is supposed to have lived, appears to be confirmed in an epigraph in the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian that reads Domus Petri (House of Peter). An epigram by Pope Damasus I (366–384) in honor of Peter and Paul reads: "You that are looking for the names of Peter and Paul, you must know that the saints have lived here." The two footprints on a marble slab at the center of the church — nowadays a copy of the original, which is kept in the nearby Basilica of San Sebastiano fuori le mura — are popularly held to be a miraculous sign left by Jesus. It is to these footprints that the official name of the church alludes: palmis refers to the soles of Jesus' feet.

There was an inscription above the front door on the church's façade which used to say: "Stop your walking, traveller, and enter this sacred temple in which you will find the footprint of our Lord Jesus Christ when He met with St. Peter who escaped from the prison. An alms for the wax and the oil is recommended in order to free some spirits from Purgatory." Pope Gregory XVI found the advertising tone of this inscription so inappropriate that he ordered its removal in 1845.

There is also a modern column with a bust of Henryk Sienkiewicz, the Polish author of the famous historical fiction novel Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero (1886). It is said that Sienkiewicz was inspired to write his novel while sitting in this church.

The church is currently administered by priests of the Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel.

title: Santa Maria in Palmis


text:
Toxic heavy metal

A toxic heavy metal is any relatively dense metal or metalloid that is noted for its potential toxicity, especially in environmental contexts. The term has particular application to cadmium, mercury and lead, all of which appear in the World Health Organization's list of 10 chemicals of major public concern. Other examples include manganese, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, antimony and thallium.

Heavy metals are found naturally in the earth. They become concentrated as a result of human caused activities and can enter plant and animal (including human) tissues via inhalation, diet, and manual handling. Then, they can bind to and interfere with the functioning of vital cellular components. The toxic effects of arsenic, mercury, and lead were known to the ancients, but methodical studies of the toxicity of some heavy metals appear to date from only 1868. In humans, heavy metal poisoning is generally treated by the administration of chelating agents. Some elements otherwise regarded as toxic heavy metals are essential, in small quantities, for human health.

Contamination sources

Heavy metals are found naturally in the earth, and become concentrated as a result of human activities, or, in some cases geochemical processes, such as accumulation in peat soils that are then released when drained for agriculture. Common sources are mining and industrial wastes; vehicle emissions; motor oil; fuels used by ships and heavy machineries; construction works; fertilisers; pesticides; paints; dyes and pigments; renovation; illegal depositing of construction and demolition waste; open top roll-off dumpster; welding, brazing and soldering; glassworking; concrete works; roadworks; use of recycled materials; DIY metal projects; burning of joss paper; open burning of waste in rural area; contaminated ventilation system; food contaminated by the environment or by the packaging; armaments; lead-acid batteries; electronic waste recycling yard; treated woods; aging water supply infrastructure; and microplastics floating in the world's oceans. Arsenic, cadmium and lead may be present in children's toys at levels that exceed regulatory standards. Lead can be used in toys as a stabilizer, color enhancer, or anti-corrosive agent. Cadmium is sometimes employed as a stabilizer, or to increase the mass and luster of toy jewelry. Arsenic is thought to be used in connection with coloring dyes. Regular imbibers of illegally distilled alcohol may be exposed to arsenic or lead poisoning the source of which is arsenic-contaminated lead used to solder the distilling apparatus. Rat poison used in grain and mash stores may be another source of the arsenic.

Lead is the most prevalent heavy metal contaminant. As a component of tetraethyl lead,, it was used extensively in gasoline during the 1930s–1970s. Lead levels in the aquatic environments of industrialised societies have been estimated to be two to three times those of pre-industrial levels. Although the use of leaded gasoline was largely phased out in North America by 1996, soils next to roads built before this time retain high lead concentrations. Lead (from lead(II) azide or lead styphnate used in firearms) gradually accumulates at firearms training grounds, contaminating the local environment and exposing range employees to a risk of lead poisoning.

Entry routes
Heavy metals enter plant, animal and human tissues via air inhalation, diet, and manual handling. Motor vehicle emissions are a major source of airborne contaminants including arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, lead, antimony, vanadium, zinc, platinum, palladium and rhodium. Water sources (groundwater, lakes, streams and rivers) can be polluted by heavy metals leaching from industrial and consumer waste; acid rain can exacerbate this process by releasing heavy metals trapped in soils. Transport through soil can be facilitated by the presence of preferential flow paths (macropores) and dissolved organic compounds. Plants are exposed to heavy metals through the uptake of water; animals eat these plants; ingestion of plant- and animal-based foods are the largest sources of heavy metals in humans. Absorption through skin contact, for example from contact with soil, or metal containing toys and jewelry, is another potential source of heavy metal contamination. Toxic heavy metals can bioaccumulate in organisms as they are hard to metabolize.

Detrimental effects
Heavy metals "can bind to vital cellular components, such as structural proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids, and interfere with their functioning". Symptoms and effects can vary according to the metal or metal compound, and the dose involved. Broadly, long-term exposure to toxic heavy metals can have carcinogenic, central and peripheral nervous system, and circulatory effects. For humans, typical presentations associated with exposure to any of the "classical" toxic heavy metals, or chromium (another toxic heavy metal) or arsenic (a metalloid), are shown in the table.

History
The toxic effects of arsenic, mercury and lead were known to the ancients but methodical studies of the overall toxicity of heavy metals appear to date from only 1868. In that year, Wanklyn and Chapman speculated on the adverse effects of the heavy metals "arsenic, lead, copper, zinc, iron and manganese" in drinking water. They noted an "absence of investigation" and were reduced to "the necessity of pleading for the collection of data". In 1884, Blake described an apparent connection between toxicity and the atomic weight of an element. The following sections provide historical thumbnails for the "classical" toxic heavy metals (arsenic, mercury and lead) and some more recent examples (chromium and cadmium).

Arsenic
Arsenic, as realgar and orpiment, was known in ancient times. Strabo (64–50 BCE – c. AD 24?), a Greek geographer and historian, wrote that only slaves were employed in realgar and orpiment mines since they would inevitably die from the toxic effects of the fumes given off from the ores. Arsenic-contaminated beer poisoned over 6,000 people in the Manchester area of England in 1900, and is thought to have killed at least 70 victims. Clare Luce, American ambassador to Italy from 1953 to 1956, suffered from arsenic poisoning. Its source was traced to flaking arsenic-laden paint on the ceiling of her bedroom. She may also have eaten food contaminated by arsenic in flaking ceiling paint in the embassy dining room. Ground water contaminated by arsenic, as of 2014, "is still poisoning millions of people in Asia".

Mercury

The first emperor of unified China, Qin Shi Huang, it is reported, died of ingesting mercury pills that were intended to give him eternal life. The phrase "mad as a hatter" is likely a reference to mercury poisoning among milliners (so-called "mad hatter disease"), as mercury-based compounds were once used in the manufacture of felt hats in the 18th and 19th century. Historically, gold amalgam (an alloy with mercury) was widely used in gilding, leading to numerous casualties among the workers. It is estimated that during the construction of Saint Isaac's Cathedral alone, 60 workers died from the gilding of the main dome. Outbreaks of methylmercury poisoning occurred in several places in Japan during the 1950s due to industrial discharges of mercury into rivers and coastal waters. The best-known instances were in Minamata and Niigata. In Minamata alone, more than 600 people died due to what became known as Minamata disease. More than 21,000 people filed claims with the Japanese government, of which almost 3000 became certified as having the disease. In 22 documented cases, pregnant women who consumed contaminated fish showed mild or no symptoms but gave birth to infants with severe developmental disabilities. Since the Industrial Revolution, mercury levels have tripled in many near-surface seawaters, especially around Iceland and Antarctica.

Lead
The adverse effects of lead were known to the ancients. In the 2nd century BC the Greek botanist Nicander described the colic and paralysis seen in lead-poisoned people. Dioscorides, a Greek physician who is thought to have lived in the 1st century CE, wrote that lead "makes the mind give way". Lead was used extensively in Roman aqueducts from about 500 BC to 300 AD. Julius Caesar's engineer, Vitruvius, reported, "water is much more wholesome from earthenware pipes than from lead pipes. For it seems to be made injurious by lead, because white lead is produced by it, and this is said to be harmful to the human body." During the Mongol period in China (1271−1368 AD), lead pollution due to silver smelting in the Yunnan region exceeded contamination levels from modern mining activities by nearly four times. In the 17th and 18th centuries, people in Devon were afflicted by a condition referred to as Devon colic; this was discovered to be due to the imbibing of lead-contaminated cider. In 2013, the World Health Organization estimated that lead poisoning resulted in 143,000 deaths, and "contribute[d] to 600,000 new cases of children with intellectual disabilities", each year. In the U.S. city of Flint, Michigan, lead contamination in drinking water has been an issue since 2014. The source of the contamination has been attributed to "corrosion in the lead and iron pipes that distribute water to city residents". In 2015, the lead concentration of drinking water in north-eastern Tasmania, Australia, reached a level over 50 times the prescribed national drinking water guidelines. The source of the contamination was attributed to "a combination of dilapidated drinking water infrastructure, including lead jointed pipelines, end-of-life polyvinyl chloride pipes and household plumbing".

Chromium

Chromium(III) compounds and chromium metal are not considered a health hazard, while the toxicity and carcinogenic properties of chromium(VI) have been known since at least the late 19th century. In 1890, Newman described the elevated cancer risk of workers in a chromate dye company. Chromate-induced dermatitis was reported in aircraft workers during World War II. In 1963, an outbreak of dermatitis, ranging from erythema to exudative eczema, occurred amongst 60 automobile factory workers in England. The workers had been wet-sanding chromate-based primer paint that had been applied to car bodies. In Australia, chromium was released from the Newcastle Orica explosives plant on August 8, 2011. Up to 20 workers at the plant were exposed as were 70 nearby homes in Stockton. The town was only notified three days after the release and the accident sparked a major public controversy, with Orica criticised for playing down the extent and possible risks of the leak, and the state Government attacked for their slow response to the incident.

Cadmium
Cadmium exposure is a phenomenon of the early 20th century, and onwards. In Japan in 1910, the Mitsui Mining & Smelting Company began discharging cadmium into the Jinzū River, as a byproduct of mining operations. Residents in the surrounding area subsequently consumed rice grown in cadmium-contaminated irrigation water. They experienced softening of the bones and kidney failure. The origin of these symptoms was not clear; possibilities raised at the time included "a regional or bacterial disease or lead poisoning". In 1955, cadmium was identified as the likely cause and in 1961 the source was directly linked to mining operations in the area. In February 2010, cadmium was found in Walmart exclusive Miley Cyrus jewelry. Wal-Mart continued to sell the jewelry until May, when covert testing organised by Associated Press confirmed the original results. In June 2010 cadmium was detected in the paint used on promotional drinking glasses for the movie Shrek Forever After, sold by McDonald's Restaurants, triggering a recall of 12 million glasses.

Human

In humans, heavy metal poisoning is generally treated by the administration of chelating agents. These are chemical compounds, such as (calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate) that convert heavy metals to chemically inert forms that can be excreted without further interaction with the body. Chelates are not without side effects and can also remove beneficial metals from the body. Vitamin and mineral supplements are sometimes co-administered for this reason.

Environment
Soils contaminated by heavy metals can be remediated by one or more of the following technologies: isolation; immobilization; toxicity reduction; physical separation; or extraction. Isolation involves the use of caps, membranes or below-ground barriers in an attempt to quarantine the contaminated soil. Immobilization aims to alter the properties of the soil so as to hinder the mobility of the heavy contaminants. Toxicity reduction attempts to oxidise or reduce the toxic heavy metal ions, via chemical or biological means into less toxic or mobile forms. Physical separation involves the removal of the contaminated soil and the separation of the metal contaminants by mechanical means. Extraction is an on or off-site process that uses chemicals, high-temperature volatization, or electrolysis to extract contaminants from soils. The process or processes used will vary according to contaminant and the characteristics of the site.

Benefits
Some elements otherwise regarded as toxic heavy metals are essential, in small quantities, for human health. These elements include vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium, strontium and molybdenum. A deficiency of these essential metals may increase susceptibility to heavy metal poisoning.

General references

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title: Toxic heavy metal


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Beriev

The PJSC Beriev Aircraft Company (Таганрогский авиационный научно-технический комплекс им. Г. М. Бериева), formerly Beriev Design Bureau, is a Russian aircraft manufacturer (design office prefix Be), specializing in amphibious aircraft.

The company was founded in Taganrog in the 1934 as OKB-49 by Georgy Mikhailovich Beriev, and since that time has designed and produced more than 20 different models of aircraft for civilian and military purposes, as well as customized models. Today the company employs some 3000 specialists and is developing and manufacturing amphibious aircraft.

Pilots flying Beriev seaplanes have broken 228 world aviation records, which are registered and acknowledged by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

History
Georgy Mikhailovich Beriev founded the design bureau that bears his name at Taganrog in 1932. The traditional focus of the Beriyev Design Bureau has been the development of seaplanes for military and civilian use. The Bureau was moved to Krasnoyarsk in Siberia in 1942 to avoid destruction in World War II, and returned to Taganrog in 1945. In November 1989, Beriev became the only defense industry enterprise to win the Prize for Quality awarded by the Soviet Government.

Aircraft

 * Beriev MBR-2/MP-1, multi-purpose flying boat, 1935
 * Beriev Be-2/KOR-1/KR-2, reconnaissance seaplane, 1936; NATO codename "Mote"
 * Beriev Be-4, reconnaissance seaplane, 1930
 * Beriev MBR-7, prototype short-range reconnaissance/bomber flying boat, 1937
 * Beriev MDR-5, long-range reconnaissance/bomber flying boat, 1938
 * Beriev B-10, high-speed fighter project, 1939
 * Beriev Be-4/KOR-2, parasol-wing flying boat, 1940; NATO codename "Mug"
 * Beriev Be-5/KOR-3, three-seat, single engine, catapult-launched seaplane, not built
 * Beriev MDR-8, unbuilt long-range reconnaissance aircraft, 1939
 * Beriev MDRT, long-range maritime reconnaissance/torpedo bomber, 1940
 * Beriev BB-282F, twin-engine armored bomber, 1942
 * Beriev MDR-10, long-range maritime reconnaissance, 1942
 * Beriev LL-143, prototype twin-engine flying boat, precursor of Be-6, 1945
 * Beriev Be-8, passenger/liaison amphibian, 1947; NATO codename "Mole" or "Mode"
 * Beriev Printsessa, projected large six-engine passenger/patrol flying boat, 1947
 * Beriev Be-6, flying boat used for firefighting duty, 1949; NATO codename "Madge"
 * Beriev R-1, experimental jet-powered flying boat, 1952
 * Beriev Be-1, prototype wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft, 1956
 * Beriev Be-10/M-10, jet-engined flying boat, 1956; NATO codename "Mallow"
 * Beriev Be-12/M-12 Chayka, Amphibious aircraft, similar in function to the Canadair CL-415, used for anti-submarine warfare, based upon the Be-6, 1960; NATO codename "Mail"
 * Beriev Be-16, heavy military transport project, 1959
 * An-Be-20, projected 1960s trijet regional airliner developed in cooperation with Antonov; cancelled in favor of the Yakovlev Yak-40
 * Beriev S-13, a clone of the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance plane, 1961.
 * Beriev Be-24, amphibious airliner project, 1963
 * Beriev Be-26, projected amphibious ASW aircraft
 * Beriev Be-30, light single-engine airliner project, 1965
 * Beriev Be-32, VTOL aircraft in various configurations, 1965
 * Beriev Be-30, regional airliner and utility transport aircraft, 1967; NATO codename "Cuff"
 * Beriev Be-40, airliner project, 1968
 * Antonov An-30, aerial cartography development of the Antonov An-24, 1971
 * Bartini Beriev VVA-14, an amphibious anti-submarine aircraft, only prototypes were produced, 1972
 * Beriev Be-32, a multipurpose airplane meant for cargo/passenger transport, patrol and expeditions. Modernized version of Be-30, 1976
 * Tupolev Tu-142MR, Tu-142MK's modified by Beriev as submarine communications relay aircraft, 1977
 * Beriev A-50 Shmel, a modified Ilyushin Il-76 modified into an AWACS role, 1985; NATO codename "Mainstay"
 * Beriev A-60, an Ilyushin Il-76 converted into an airborne laser laboratory, 1981
 * Beriev A-40 Albatros, the largest multipurpose amphibian airplane in the world, 1986; NATO codename "Mermaid". Cancelled due to the breakup of the Soviet Union, but later revived as the A-42.
 * Beriev A-42 Albatros, prototype SAR variant of A-40, 1990. Combined with the A-44 in 1993 to form a multi-role aircraft. Prototype finished in 2006 and an R&D agreement signed by the Defense Ministry, but was cancelled in 2011. In 2019, the Russian Navy announced an order for three A-42s.
 * Beriev A-44, military patrol version of A-42, 1990. Combined with the A-42 in 1993.
 * Beriev Be-112 proposed twin-engined propeller amphibian airplane, 1995
 * Beriev Be-103 Bekas, a light amphibian, intended for passenger transport, medical aid, patrol and tourism, 1997
 * Beriev Be-200 Altair, a large multipurpose amphibian airplane, 1998
 * Beriev Be-115, amphibious aircraft project, 1999
 * Beriev A-100, a modified Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A AWACS that will succeed the A-50 and A-50U, 2017
 * Beriev Be-101 proposed single-engine light amphibian
 * Beriev Be-2500 Neptun, a proposed super-heavy amphibian cargo aircraft with a max takeoff weight of 2500 metric tons (planned)

Operation
Be-200 (Irkut Corporation), Be-103 (Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant) are produced here.

In 2007 the company's revenue amounted to 1.616 billion rubles (in 2006 — 2.011 billion rubles), net profit — 14.148 million rubles (182.777 million rubles).

In 2008 revenue (excluding VAT) amounted to 1.893 billion rubles (foreign market) and 939 million rubles (domestic market). Profit from sales — 275 million rubles.

In April 2011 JSC TAVIA was joined to JSC Beriev TANTK.

Directors
Chief Designers of the Joint Design Bureau of Marine Aircraft Engineering (OKB MS):

 * 1934-1968 — G. M. Beriev
 * 1968-1990 — A. K. Konstantinov
 * 1990-1994 — G. S. Panatov

Director of the Taganrog Machine-Building Plant:

 * 1973-1985 — I. E. Yesaulenko

Heads of G. M. Beriev TANTK:

 * 1994-2002 — G. S. Panatov (General Designer and CEO)
 * 2002-2003 — V. V. Boev (CEO)
 * 2003-2014 — V. A. Kobzev (CEO, since November 2007 CEO-General Designer)
 * 2014-2015 — I. B. Garivadsky (CEO-General Designer)
 * 2015-2019 — Y. V. Grudinin (CEO-гGeneral Designer)
 * 2019-2020 — M. V. Grezin (Managing Director)
 * 2020-2021 — M. M. Tikhonov (Managing Director)
 * from 2021 — P. V. Pavlov (Managing Director)

title: Beriev


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Aermacchi

Aermacchi was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Formerly known as Aeronautica Macchi, the company was founded in 1912 by Giulio Macchi at Varese in north-western Lombardy as Nieuport-Macchi, to build Nieuport monoplanes under licence for the Italian military. With a factory located on the shores of Lake Varese, the firm originally manufactured a series of Nieuport designs, as well as seaplanes.

After World War II, the company began producing motorcycles as a way to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation.

The company later specialised in civil and military pilot training aircraft. In July 2003, Aermacchi was integrated into the Finmeccanica Group (now Leonardo) as Alenia Aermacchi, which increased its shareholding to 99%.

Military trainers

Since the beginning, the design and production of military trainers have been the core business of Alenia Aermacchi.

The products include:
 * SF-260, piston-engined or turboprop-powered screener/primary trainer
 * MB-326, turbofan engined trainer and light attack aircraft
 * M-311, basic turbofan trainer
 * MB-339CD, advanced and lead-in fighter trainer
 * M-346, advanced and lead-in fighter trainer of the new generation

Military collaboration
Alenia Aermacchi has cooperated in international military programs:

Alenia Aermacchi takes part in the AMX program with Alenia Aeronautica and Embraer of Brazil with a total share of 24%. Alenia Aermacchi develops and manufactures the fuselage forward and rear sections and installs some avionic equipment in the aircraft. A Mid-Life Updating program is required by the Italian Air Force to upgrade the aircraft capabilities.
 * AMX program:

Alenia Aermacchi designs and produces wing pylons and wing tips, roots, trailing edges and flaps, which represents a 5% share in the overall program.
 * Panavia Tornado program:

Alenia Aermacchi has a share of more than 4% in the Eurofighter program, for the design and development of wing pylons, twin missile and twin store carriers, ECM pods, carbon fiber structures and titanium engine cowlings.
 * Eurofighter program:

After participating in the G-222 transport aircraft program, the company is involved in the new Military Transport Aircraft C-27J Spartan, for the production of outer wings.
 * C-27J program:

Civil programs
Since the mid-1990s, Alenia Aermacchi has participated in programs for the supply of engine nacelles for civil aircraft. It produces cold parts for engine nacelles: inlets, fan cowls and EBU, the systems-to-engine interface. In 1999, the company established a joint venture (MHD) with Hurel-Dubois (presently Hurel-Hispano, of SNECMA group). It is a French company specializing in the development and manufacture of thrust reversers, to obtain the full responsibility for the development of nacelles installed on maximum 100-seat aircraft.

World War I

 * Macchi L.1 – reconnaissance flying boat (Lohner copy)
 * Macchi L.2 – flying boat biplane (Lohner copy)
 * Nieuport-Macchi N.VI – reconnaissance monoplane (license-built Nieuport monoplane with local modifications)
 * Nieuport-Macchi Parasol – parasol-wing observation monoplane (developed from Nieuport IV) (1913)
 * Nieuport-Macchi N.10 – fighter/reconnaissance sesquiplane (license-built Nieuport 10 with local modifications)
 * Nieuport-Macchi N.11 – fighter sesquiplane (license-built Nieuport 11 with local modifications)
 * Nieuport-Macchi N.17 – fighter sesquiplane (license-built Nieuport 17 with local modifications)
 * Macchi M.3 – flying boat biplane (1916)
 * Macchi M.5 – flying boat fighter (1917)
 * Macchi M.6 – flying boat fighter prototype (1917)
 * Macchi M.7 – flying boat fighter (1918)
 * Macchi M.8 – reconnaissance/bomber flying boat (1917)
 * Macchi M.9 – flying boat bomber (1918)
 * Macchi M.12 – flying boat bomber (1918)
 * Macchi M.14 – sesquiplane fighter (1918)

Interwar

 * Nieuport-Macchi N.29 – biplane fighter (license-built Nieuport-Delage NiD.29)
 * Macchi M.7bis – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1920)
 * Macchi M.15 – reconnaissance, bomber, and trainer aircraft (1922)
 * Macchi M.16 – sports aircraft (1919)
 * Macchi M.17bis – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1922)
 * Macchi M.18 – passenger, bombing, and reconnaissance flying boat
 * Macchi M.19 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1920)
 * Macchi M7ter – flying boat fighter (1923), major redesign of M.7
 * Macchi M.20 – civil trainer aircraft (ca. 1919)
 * Macchi M.24 – flying boat bomber (1924)
 * Macchi M.26 – flying boat fighter prototype (1924)
 * Macchi M.33 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1925)
 * Macchi M.39 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1926)
 * Macchi M.40 – reconnaissance seaplane (1928)
 * Macchi M.41 – flying boat fighter (1927)
 * Macchi M.52 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1927)
 * Macchi M.52R – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1929)
 * Macchi M.53 – reconnaissance floatplane (1929)
 * Macchi M.67 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1929)
 * Macchi M.70 – light biplane landplane/floatplane (ca. 1929)
 * Macchi M.71 – flying boat fighter (1930)
 * Macchi M.C.72 – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1931)
 * Macchi M.C.73- two-seat tourism plane
 * Macchi M.C.94 – flying boat airliner (1935)
 * Macchi M.C.100 – passenger flying boat (1939)
 * Macchi M.C.200 Saetta – fighter (1939)

World War II

 * Macchi M.C.202 Folgore – fighter (1941)
 * Macchi M.C.205 Veltro – fighter (1942)

Post-World War II

 * Macchi M.B.308 – utility aircraft (1948)
 * Macchi M.B.320 – light civil utility aircraft (1949)
 * Macchi M.B.323 – trainer (1952)
 * Aermacchi MB-326 – trainer and light attack aircraft (1957)
 * Aermacchi AL-60 – light civil utility aircraft (1959)
 * Aermacchi SF.260 – aerobatics aircraft and military trainer (1964)
 * Aermacchi MB-335 – initial designation of the AM.3
 * Aermacchi AM.3 – military utility aircraft (1967)
 * Aermacchi MB-338 – trainer (early 1970s)
 * Aermacchi MB-340 – light ground-attack aircraft (early 1970s)
 * Aermacchi MB-339 – trainer (1976)
 * Aermacchi S-211 – trainer (1981)
 * Aermacchi M-290 RediGO – trainer (1985)
 * Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master – trainer (2004)
 * Alenia Aermacchi M-311 – trainer (2005)

1950s
Aermacchi began producing motorcycles in c. 1951; the first Aermacchi to be marketed to the public was a scooter/motorcycle hybrid called the 'Convertible', with the majority of working parts semi-enclosed, an under-saddle engine and foot boards, a conventional motorcycle fuel tank position and 17 in wheels.

It was succeeded in 1953 by the 'Zeffiro' which was offered with a 125 cc or 150 cc two-stroke engine; these later models had upgraded suspension but remained similar in appearance.

In 1955, they produced the 125 cc Monsone, followed by the 150 cc Corsaro, both of which had pivoted fork rear suspension and telescopic front forks. They were two-strokes like the early models and ran a 4-speed gearbox.

In 1956 they produced their first over head valve four-stroke engine on the Chimera fitted horizontally, a layout which would become a standard for the marque. Similar to their first offering, the Chimera kept many enclosed working parts.

In 1957 they released a series of sport models, powered by a single cylinder ohv engine in 175 cc or 250 cc displacements. Aermacchi continued with scooter production, but sales were poor and they were unable to compete in the market amongst the well established Vespas and Lambrettas, and concentrated solely on the production of motorcycles.

1960s and beyond
In 1960, US business Harley-Davidson motorcycles purchased 50% of Aermacchi's motorcycle division. The Italian branch of the brand was named 'Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson' and the first bike was a variation of the 'Ala Verde' suitably modified for the American market. This was also the year that the Chimera ceased production.

The remaining motorcycle holdings were sold in 1974 to AMF-Harley-Davidson, with motorcycles continuing to be made at Varese.

The business was sold to Cagiva in 1978.

Racing History
After the Harley Davidson investment, Aermacchi branched out into racing with a 250 cc production-volume Ala d'Oro for road racing competition. Early results varied but over years of bike development the team placed third during the 1966 350 cc World Championship with racer Renzo Pasolini and third again in 1968 with Kelvin Carruthers. The following year Carruthers competed at the Isle of Man TT.

A new era began in 1971 with the development of twin-cylinder two-stroke racers of 250cc and 350cc capacity, designed at Aermacchi by their chief engineer, Ing. William Soncini. The first 250cc racer was very fast, with 46hp at 11,000rpm, and weighed only 250lbs. After Harley-Davidson acquired 100% of Aermacchi in 1972, they funded further racing development at the Aermacchi factory, and the racers were branded with Harley-Davidson on their fuel tanks. These two-stroke twins provided Harley-Davidson with their only Grand Prix wins, and four World Championships: 250cc World Championship in 1974, '75, and '76, and the 350cc World Championship in 1976, all under rider Walter Villa.

List of Motorcycle Models (incomplete)

 * 250 Cross
 * 350
 * 500 Linto
 * Ala Azzura
 * Ala Bianca
 * Ala d'Oro (Golden Wing) [1958-1961]
 * Ala Rossa
 * Ala Verde
 * Biccindrico
 * Chimera
 * Convrtible
 * Corsaro
 * Drixton
 * Monsone
 * Sprint 250
 * Sprint 350
 * Wisconsin 250
 * Zeffiro

title: Aermacchi