The current developments in the European and international aerospace industry demonstrate the high dynamics of change within this sector. The merger of Daimler-Benz and MBB marks the beginning of a sustained consolidation trend at the European level. This has significantly influenced the development of European aerospace and defense structures, which in turn have shaped the global competitive landscape of the industry. The objective of this work is to conduct an ex-post analysis of the merger between Daimler-Benz AG and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH, which took place in 1989 under a ministerial permit. The analysis is theoretically framed within modern industrial economics in general and strategic trade policy in particular.