BAE Systems Wins £68.4M P-8A Contract
BAE Systems has been awarded a £68.4 million contract from the US Navy to supply advanced countermeasure electronic warfare (EW) pods for the P-8A Poseidon Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft. These pods are designed to protect the aircraft from missiles and other threats, enhancing its survivability and operational range in contested environments.
The EW pods developed by BAE Systems detect and counter inbound threats, providing critical protection for the Poseidon and its crew. “We’re working closely with the US Navy to deliver innovative solutions to protect this critical, high-value aircraft,” said Don Davidson, director of Advanced Compact Electronic Warfare Solutions at BAE Systems. “We quickly prototyped a very capable system using proven technology to defend against air-to-air and surface-to-air guided threats.”
The survivability pod features early threat detection and effective countermeasures, ensuring the safety of high-value airborne assets. Its flexible, open architecture design allows for rapid and affordable modernization, compatibility with future threat-detection and decoy countermeasure capabilities, and the integration of third-party EW techniques.
This engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract follows a rapid-response contract from the US Navy in 2021, which aimed to demonstrate the system’s capabilities. The BAE Systems team successfully designed, built, and tested a demonstration pod, showcasing strong military-industry collaboration and rapid prototyping. The EMD contract was awarded after successful airworthiness and effectiveness testing.
UK Awards £4M Contract for AS50 Rifle Parts
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded a £4 million contract to Accuracy International Ltd for the supply of components to support the AS50 Sniper Rifle Weapon Platform. This contract, facilitated by Babcock Land Defence Ltd acting as an agent for the MOD, ensures the continued operational effectiveness of the AS50 sniper rifles used by the British Armed Forces.
The contract notices details that the award was made through a three-year contract using the Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication, pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011. This procedure was chosen due to technical reasons, as Accuracy International Ltd is uniquely positioned to fulfil the requirements of the contract.
Accuracy International Ltd, being the manufacturer and sole distributor of the necessary spares, holds exclusive rights to the technical specifications required for the manufacture, testing, and supply of these components. The company does not share this specialized knowledge or expertise with any third party, solidifying its role as the sole provider capable of supporting the AS50 Sniper Rifle Weapon Platform.
This contract highlights the UK MOD’s commitment to maintaining its advanced military capabilities and ensuring that its armed forces are equipped with reliable and effective weaponry.
Concurrent Techs Post-Acquisition Deals
Concurrent Technologies, a leading designer of computer products specializing in the aerospace sector, has recently clinched two significant contracts through its recently acquired subsidiary, Philips Aerospace.
The combined value of these contracts totals £405,262, marking a substantial achievement for the company. One of the contracts involves a prominent US-based defence company, underscoring Concurrent Technologies’ expanding global reach and influence in the industry.
Following its acquisition of Philips Aerospace in September, valued at £2.64 million, Concurrent Technologies has swiftly capitalized on synergies within the partnership. The acquisition has fortified the company’s capabilities, enabling it to undertake comprehensive design engineering, production, and testing services, exemplified by the provision of conduction-cooled chasses outlined in one of the contracts.
Excitingly, Concurrent Technologies anticipates further orders from these contracts in the coming years, signalling promising long-term revenue prospects. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding additional contracts and strategic opportunities with the same customer, highlighting the depth of trust and satisfaction in Concurrent Technologies’ offerings.
The news comes amidst a robust performance for Concurrent Technologies in the first half of the year, with shares surging over 30%. Notably, the company achieved record financial results in January, propelled by significant design wins, new product releases, and strategic investments in the Systems business segment.
Farnborough Airports £3M Security Upgrade
Farnborough Airport has completed a comprehensive £3 million security screening upgrade in compliance with the UK Government’s Aviation Security Regulations amendment, effective from June 1st.
The investment encompasses the installation of two cutting-edge cabin baggage screening lanes featuring the latest C3 screening technology and advanced security scanners. The adoption of C3 screening technology, renowned as the highest-rated aviation security equipment available, aims to elevate the already world-class passenger experience at Farnborough Airport.
Notably, passengers can now retain large electronic items, including laptops, tablets, and phones, within their cabin baggage during screening. Moreover, the revised regulations permit passengers to carry liquids exceeding 100ml, up to two litters, through security without separate removal from their bags. These enhancements streamline the security process, minimizing the use of multiple trays and simplifying the passenger journey through the airport.
For passenger screening, modern security scanners have replaced traditional metal detectors, ensuring uncompromising security standards in a non-intrusive manner. This innovative technology, combined with Farnborough Airport’s renowned service excellence, underscores the airport’s commitment to delivering the highest standards of customer care.
Simon Geere, CEO of Farnborough Airport, emphasized the significance of the completed security screening upgrade, heralding it as a milestone in the airport’s commitment to providing an unparalleled passenger experience. Geere emphasized that the installation of state-of-the-art security technology reaffirms the airport’s proactive stance in setting service and security benchmarks. He assured passengers of a faster, smoother, and more convenient journey through the airport, coupled with the assurance of the highest security standards.
The completion of the £3 million security screening upgrade signifies Farnborough Airport’s unwavering dedication to meeting evolving customer needs while upholding stringent security protocols.
BAE Wins NOAA GeoXO Contract
BAE Systems has been selected to build the Ocean Colour Instrument (OCX) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite constellation. This selection means BAE Systems will construct all three hyperspectral instruments for the mission, including the GeoXO Sounder (GXS) and the Atmospheric Composition Instrument (ACX).
Leveraging modular designs and extensive experience, BAE Systems aims to drive efficiencies and deliver value across the OCX, GXS, and ACX programs. The GeoXO constellation, set to launch in the early 2030s, will enhance and expand upon the observations made by NOAA’s current Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R series (GOES-R). GeoXO will operate through 2055, as GOES-R nears the end of its planned mission.
The OCX instrument, a hyperspectral imager developed by BAE Systems, will capture high-spatial resolution observations of the Great Lakes and vast areas of the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), covering four million square feet of ocean extending about 200 miles off American coastal regions. By imaging ocean and lake environments in ultraviolet to near-infrared light, OCX will provide unprecedented data on water quality, ocean biology and chemistry, and ecosystem changes. It will also offer more frequent observations than previous instruments, with complete surveys every two hours, helping to mitigate issues like cloud cover and enabling rapid monitoring of changing conditions.
In addition to OCX, BAE Systems is building the GXS and ACX instruments for the GeoXO mission. The GXS will deliver real-time data on the vertical distribution of atmospheric moisture, winds, and temperature, enhancing weather prediction models and short-term severe weather forecasting. The ACX will provide hourly daytime air quality measurements, improving forecasts and characterizing emissions such as aerosol particles, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, glyoxal, sulphur dioxide, and ozone.
GeoXO is expected to begin operations in the early 2030s and continue through 2055.
That’s it folks, Catch you all in week 24!