Timeline
The history of the ECA Group is full of innovations and partnerships with the most important industrial and technological companies in the world.
- ECA Group opens ECA Middle East - New subsidiary in Abu Dhabi
- Creation of ECA Aerospace
- Creation of ECA Drone - UAV Services company
- Stake held in Wandercraft and creation of ECA Dynamics, joint venture for developments of Humanoid Robotics for Defence & Security
- Development of Unmanned Systems
- Design of the SDV (Swimmer Delivery Vehicle): SWUV
- Acquisition of INFOTRON specialized in aerial drones / UAVs
- Creation of ECA RSM - commercial entity dedicated to exportation
- Creation of ECA Group Asia subsidiary set up in Singapore
- Participation in the Espadon project for the Future Mines Countermeasures System led by the DGA
- Acquisition of TRITON IMAGING INC
- Development of the Cobra UGV (used by the DGA in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan)
- Development and commercialisation of the combined A320/B737 flight simulator
- Development of autonomous surface drones and AUVs
- Acquisition of ECA SINDEL (Italy) and SSI (Simulator System International) INC (USA) specialised in training simulators
- Acquisition of ECA FAROS, the terrestrial division of CYBERNETIX (Saclay), of ELECTRONATEC renamed ECA EN, of ECA CNAi and ECA SINTERS
- AUV partnership agreement between THALES and ECA
- Nuclear decommissioning for FRAMATOME
- Development of the ALISTAR 3000 AUV, urban combat robots (MiniROC /DGA) and the H1000 work class ROV (French navy)
- ECA is listed on the Euronext secondary market
- Development of K-STER robot (mine killer)
- Acquisition of HYTEC, and MATRA's Systems and Information business
- Design of the first flexible assembly lines dedicated to the A340 (AIRBUS), then the A380 (2001)
- Development of PAP Mk6
- The Gorgé Group (at that time known as Finuchem) becomes the majority share-holder
- Creation of an English subsidiary, CSIP, and first sales of PAP MK5 on the international market, to the British navy (1983), Japanese navy (1996), Turkish navy (1998), etc.
- Creation of PAP 104, the first underwater mine detection and destruction robot (DGA)
- Creation of ECA Sud-Est for robotics developments that would come to fruition in the next decade
- Numerous components and systems for underwater applications: PAP 104, EPAULARD, POPE, MARLIN, SAR, etc.
- Remote-controlled underwater vehicles: mass-production of more than 300 vehicles of 10 different types
- Industrial robotics (PEUGEOT, SNIAS)
- Robotics systems for the offshore oil industry (ELF AQUITAINE, TOTAL)
- ECA made its entrance in the nuclear program developed by the French president, General Charles de Gaulle.
- ECA was charged with the development of a 1:10-scale model of a ballistic missile submarine in order to test hydrodynamic shapes. Testing took place in the St. Tropez (France) area and ECA set up an office in a country house in nearby Ramatuelle to handle these activities.
- Development of the Aeronautics, Naval Defence and Simulation construction workshop
- 500 machines built, forerunners of remote-controlled and radio-guided missiles (ECA 27, ECA 20, ECA 57, etc.) for major customers (Marcel DASSAULT, MATRA, Service technique de l’aéronautique (STAé), etc.)
- 100 invention patents filed
- Design of new components for the French Navy (steering simulator and longitudinal manoeuvring console for submarines, etc.)
- More than 30 patents already filed for creation of aeronautics components, e.g. the "Autoptère" automatic control surface, etc.
- First project in the Maritime sector, entitled "air torpedo with automatic pilot and remote control"
- Creation of the ECA company (Etudes et Constructions Aéronautiques)
- Participation in construction of the "Arc en Ciel" aircraft piloted by Jean Mermoz, which completed the first Paris-Buenos Aires-Paris return trip entirely by air.

