The chief executive of BAE Systems publicised a renewed focus by the defence contractor to establish strong links to EADS after the collapse of merger talks between the two groups.

Ian King, the chief executive of BAE, commented: “We have a great working relationship with EADS and we will work together stronger than ever on our joint projects which include the Eurofighter project and MBDA, the joint missile programme."

Currently EADS and BAE are both jointly invested as a consortium in the development of the Eurofighter. The two are also working together in a £8.5 billion joint venture programme to develop missiles as shareholders of European defence company MBDA