"We're analysing ways we can position ourselves on the terrestrial market," Homberg told a seminar here on Sunday in remarks embargoed for publication until Tuesday.

EADS already makes military helicopters and planes and moved into the naval and maritime industries last year with the joint acquisition with ThyssenKrupp of a stake in German firm Atlas Elektronik.

A similar move into terrestrial vehicles might also be possible, primarily in the area of military tanks, Homberg said, without revealing any concrete project.

German industrial conglomerate Siemens has long been looking for a buyer of a 49-percent stake in tank builder Krauss Maffei Wegmann.

EADS' co-chairman Tom Enders did not rule out a possible interest in that stake.

"Pressure is growing on independent players," Homberg said.

"EADS cannot ignore the markets," he added. "But do we have to build our own platforms or simply have access" to manufacturers?"

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