DASA (officially Deutsche Aerospace AG, later Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG, then DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG) was a German aerospace manufacturer.
It was created during 1989 as the aerospace subsidiary arm of Daimler-Benz AG (later DaimlerChrysler) from 1989. The company acquired rival manufacturer Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) that same year, integrating it along with its other aerospace interests, MTU München, and Dornier Flugzeugwerke, by 1992.
The company's existence was relatively brief due to the peace dividend of the 1990s having motivated industry-wide consolidation. During July 2000, DASA merged with Aérospatiale-Matra of France and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) of Spain to form EADS, which has since rebranded itself as Airbus Group.
History
DASA (from Deutsche Aerospace Aktiengesellschaft) was founded on 19 May 1989 by the merger of Daimler-Benz's aerospace interests, MTU München, and Dornier Flugzeugwerke. During December 1989, Daimler-Benz acquired rival German aerospace consortium Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), merged it into DASA. During March 1990, Daimler-Benz initiated a major restructuring of the new group, integrating the previously separate companies into five product groups; Aircraft, Space Systems, Defense and Civil Systems/Propulsion. Several companies continued to exist under their own names but, by 1992, most (including MBB and TST) of the former entities had been fully integrated.
During 1992, DASA's helicopter portfolio, which had been largely inherited from MBB, was merged with the helicopter division of French manufacturer Aérospatiale to form Eurocopter. The Bo 108, DASA's in-development helicopter derived from MBB's highly successful Bo 105, was one of the assets transferred to the new company; it was launched as the Eurocopter EC135 during the early 1990s to considerable similar commercial success. By 2014, Eurocopter, which was subsequently rebranded as Airbus Helicopters, was a market leader in the field, operating four principal manufacturing plants in Europe (Marignane and La Courneuve in France, and Donauwörth and Kassel in Germany), plus 32 subsidiaries and participants around the world, including those in Brisbane, Australia, Albacete, Spain and Grand Prairie, USA. As of that same year, in excess of 12,000 helicopters built by the company were in service with over 3,000 customers across roughly 150 countries.
During the early 1990s, DASA became involved as a strategic partner of the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker, the latter reportedly being interested in expanding its footprint in the regional aircraft sector. During 1993, it was announced that DASA purchased a 40 per cent stake in Fokker. However, by 1995, both Fokker and DASA were experiencing considerable financial difficulties, largely as a result of the extremely competitive nature of the regional market during this era. Fokker was forced to reduce production of its Fokker 50 airliner; and embark upon a major restructuring programme, including efforts to renegotiate prices with its suppliers, in what was viewed by aerospace publication Flight International as a last-ditch effort to save the company. During January 1996, DASA's board decided to distance the company from the struggling Fokker. At one stage, DASA had agreed to provide a rescue deal for the company, but this had been contingent upon a commitment by the Dutch government.
The poor state of the company's finances heavily contributed to DASA's decision to depart the regional aircraft market entirely. According, during June 1996, it was announced that DASA had sold the majority of the assets of its former Dornier division to American aviation company Fairchild Aircraft, leading to the creation of Fairchild Dornier. Furthermore, that same year, DASA announced that all manufacturing operations for the Dornier 228 would be transferred to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India; two years later, activity on the German production line was permanently terminated. These moves were intended to concentrate the company's resources on the production of the larger Dornier 328 airliner, as well as to respond to Dornier's wider financial difficulties.