"It's a win-win situation for the taxpayer on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean because more competition means more value for the same price," Camus told reporters in New York.

"And it's a win-win situation for the industry because competition will give us a better efficiency -- a better overall capcity to address the overall market," he said.

In recent months, there have been rumblings in the United States about closing certain markets to companies based in countries that opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq.

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) has long sought a foothold in the lucrative US defence market.

"We are ready to be a provider to the US Department of Defence and to follow the same rules" as British or US firms, Camus said.

Rather than buying up US defence firms, Camus said EADS would seek to extend its our capacity through direct investment and building or buying factories.

"Our priority is developing our products, our technologies and enlarging our US or European or Asian industrial footprint in order to address the specific market," he said.

"I do prefer that to acquiring company."

WAR.WIRE