Airbus, Leonardo and Thales face resistance from competitors over their proposed space merger. German satellite maker OHB, led by CEO Marco Fuchs, raises concerns about reduced competition in the European satellite market. The friction highlights potential regulatory hurdles as the aerospace giants seek to consolidate their space divisions.

Fuchs specifically questions whether the merged entity will pursue global markets as its partners claim, or concentrate solely on Europe. This focus could disadvantage European consortia competing for EU and European Space Agency contracts. The debate centers on how the consolidation might reshape the competitive landscape for space industry partnerships.

The pushback signals mounting scrutiny ahead of regulatory review. Competitors fear the merger could create a dominant player in European space contracting, potentially squeezing out smaller firms. The aerospace giants must now navigate both regulatory approval and competitive opposition as they seek to finalize the space division consolidation.