Alcatel Alenia Space receives the international performance and maturity accreditation CMMI level 3 for its French organization

Paris, France – Alcatel Alenia Space announced that it has
achieved the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 3
accreditation for its French manufacturing organization. Alcatel Alenia
Space is the first satellite manufacturer to receive the CMMI Level 3
accreditation in Europe.

The CMMI assessment was combined with other certifications audits: ISO 9001
(broad standard), EN9100 (specific to aeronautics) and AQAP2110 (specific
to NATO). This represents an international performance and maturity
recognition of Alcatel Alenia Space’s process excellence.

The CMMI model covers not only the full range of engineering and project
management practices, but also the transversal processes such as
configuration management, products and services quality assurance and the
Quality Management System. It complements other standards, in that it
specifies more detailed requirements for each of the design engineering or
project management activities.

Jean-Marc Paysse, Quality Management System Director for Alcatel Alenia
Space, said: "Being certified by standards bodies gives Alcatel Alenia
Space the advantage of an exhaustive quality management system covering the
entire range of practices, from the highest levels of management in the
company, down to the operational details characteristics of each design
engineering and project management activities."

Jean-Claude Fromenteau, CMMI project manager for Alcatel Alenia Space,
added: "Our Quality Management System was already very strong, so we just
had to adjust it to conform to the CMMI model. It took less than 18 months
to receive the CMMI Level 3 accreditation. Our ultimate objective is of
course to reach Level 5, which will enable our company to be recognized as
one of the most mature manufacturer in main representative domains such as
space segment, satellites, ground segment and equipments."

About Alcatel Alenia Space
Alcatel Alenia Space is the European leader in satellite systems, at the
forefront of orbit infrastructures. Created in July 2005, the company
brings together the vast experience and know-how of Alcatel Space and
Alenia Spazio to form a new leading force in European space technology.
Alcatel Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development
that impacts everybody’s future: from navigation to telecommunications,
from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defense to science and
observation. Alcatel Alenia Space is an affiliate of Alcatel (Paris:
CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) (67%) and Finmeccanica (Milan:SIFI.MI, FNC.IM)
(33%).