British Aerospace and GEC Marconi have completed a long-awaited £7 billion merger.
GEC, which has sites in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, and in Chelmsford, will join with BAe to form a new company called BAE SYSTEMS.
Despite this, GEC has retained the famous brand and renamed itself Marconi.
The deal, has had to wait for approval from authorities in the UK and Europe - it has now been given the green light from the US.
The company will become one of the largest aerospace and defence companies in the world.
It still employs most of its staff - 70,000 of 115,600 - in the UK, with the rest spread across the US, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Europe.
Chief executive of BAE SYSTEMS, John Weston, said: ''This merger combines the strength of two great companies with long histories of success.
''With BAE SYSTEMS, we are opening a new chapter of success and creating a future in which we can all be proud.''
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