A broad experience in Aerospace...   Since 1978, SONACA has been participating in the F-16 military program. The company has delivered more than 1,350 rear fuselage sections, and assembled over 220 airframes.   SONACA remains a valued supplier of LOCKHEED MARTIN for the manufacturing of last-generation F-16 aircraft. Still in the military field, SONACA is also a major player in the B-Hunter UAV program for the Belgian army, through the EAGLE Consortium, of which it is the leader. In the scope of the Airbus A400M military program, SONACA develops and produces, through the FLABEL CORPORATION, the wing leading edges and their associated de-icing system, as well as the landing gear doors and engine cowlings. As regards commercial aviation, SONACA has become a world-class supplier of fixed and moveable wing leading edges. Through BELAIRBUS, SONACA has been developing, since 1980, moveable wing leading edges and slat tracks for all the AIRBUS family models. From the A310 to the A380, all AIRBUS aircraft are equipped with moveable wing leading edges manufactured by SONACA. The family is mainly composed of two groups: the single-aisle aircraft (narrow bodies, like A318/319/320/321) and the long-range aircraft (large aircraft like A330/340, A340-500/600, A380).   Through BELAIRBUS, SONACA has been taking an active share in the development of the AIRBUS A380. In this program, additionally to the moveable wing leading edges, the company is also in charge of a large panel structure of the upper front fuselage (Nose Upper Shell). The company produces and assembles as well the A380 Frame 5 (protective shield).   Since 1993, SONACA has been producing center and rear fuselage sections, cargo and access doors and engine pylons for the EMBRAER ERJ 135/140/145 and Legacy (corporate) aircraft, as a risk-sharing partner. The company has also designed and certified, and is currently manufacturing the fixed leading edges and associated de-icing systems for this family of aircraft. In October 1999, SONACA signed an agreement with EMBRAER for the development and production of the moveable parts of the EMB 170/190 "E-jet" wing leading edges, their associated systems (actuators, de-icing) as well as the skin panels and subassemblies of the center fuselage section supporting the wing box .   In 2000, SONACA created a first subsidiary in Brazil: SOBRAER. Located in the vicinity of Embraer, it employs about 300 people and performs various assembly and finishing tasks in the EMBRAER programs, as well as on specific Airbus A320 and A340-500/600 elements.     On 20 November 2003, SONACA confirmed its internationalization strategy by taking over NMF (National Metal Finishing), which is the North American specialist in machining and forming of wing panels for regional transport aircraft and business jets.   Thanks to SONACA NMF CANADA and SONACA NMF AMERICA, the group now has the 4 main civil aircraft manufacturers worldwide among its customers. SONACA NMF CANADA more particularly forms and assembles the wing panels of the BOMBARDIER Aéronautique CRJ200, CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft, and in cooperation with SONACA NMF AMERICA, those of the Embraer 190/195 "E-jets".   Supported by foreign partners, SONACA set up two new subsidiaries in Brazil in 2004: SOPEÇAERO and PESOLA.   Both are located on the same site as SOBRAER and have been operational since the end of April 2005. SOPEÇAERO employs about 30 persons and is in charge of manufacturing small and medium-size sheet metal parts for the aircraft industry, including heat and surface treatments, painting and quality control. PESOLA employs about the same number of people and produces machined parts for the aircraft industry. Both surface treatments and painting operations are performed by SOPEÇAERO. In addition to covering the whole range of airliners, from 37 to 550 seats, SONACA has also been involved, since 2001, in the business jet segment through its partnership with DASSAULT AVIATION for the development and production of the Falcon 7X moveable and fixed leading edges. On the other hand, SONACA´s North American subsidiaries produce the wing panels of the BOMBARDIER Aéronautique Learjet, Global and Challenger aircraft and of the IAI 100, 150 and 200 Gulfstream Jets. SONACA has also been actively involved in space applications these last 15 years, taking part in several ESA and CNES-led programs, which are mainly the following: Hermes, ARD, GSTP, FESTIP, CRV, X38, Spot5, Columbus, Mars Beagle 2, Aladin, Corot, Pléiades.