BAE Systems, EADS End Merger Talks

Aerospace and defense giants BAE Systems BA.LN -1.38% PLC and European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. EAD.FR +5.29% on Wednesday called off their planned merger after the U.K., France and Germany failed to agree on how much influence they should have over the combined entity. The companies made no mention of any plans to revive the merger project at a later stage.
The decision brings to an end several months of increasingly frenetic negotiations on plans by the companies to create the world's biggest defense group by sales.
With BAE Systems and EADS quick to blame politicians for the deal's collapse, singling out intransigence in Berlin in particular, the merger's failure raises fresh questions on European governments' ability to set aside national interests regarding cross-border projects.

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Germany Says EADS-BAE Merger Talks Need More Time

NICOSIA — Talks on a tie-up between aerospace groups EADS and BAE Systems looked set for extra time Sept. 27, after German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere and another source said negotiations had some way to go.
“I think we need more time,” de Maiziere told journalists in Nicosia after meeting the day before with his British and French counterparts to discuss the proposal, which would create a giant to rival the U.S. group Boeing.
A source close to the talks told AFP that it looked as though British arms maker BAE Systems and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company would ask Britain’s stock market regulator to extend its Oct. 10 deadline.

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Ship Repair awarded $27 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy

 

The Support Solutions Ship Repair team in Norfolk, Virginia has won a $27 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to work on the USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)

 

The Support Solutions Ship Repair team in Norfolk, Virginia has won a $27 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to work on the USS Vella Gulf (CG-72), an American Ticonderoga class Aegis guided missile cruiser. The team will provide various services, including depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifications to update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities.
The work is expected to be completed by January.

Source :BAEsystems

GE Delivers Last of Eight Propulsion Motors for Giant UK Aircraft Carriers

RUGBY, ENGLAND—September 20, 2012—GE Energy Management’s Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) has delivered the last of eight propulsion motors for two aircraft carriers under construction for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. The two vessels, the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales, each with a length of 280 meters and a displacement of 65,000 tons, will be the largest warships in the world to use fully electric propulsion systems.

In 2008, the company won a contract to deliver the major elements of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) systems for the new Queen Elizabeth class (QEC) carriers. The IFEP comprises all shipboard electrical power generation and propulsion systems and features GE’s Advanced Induction Motor (AIM) technology, which delivers increased fuel efficiency plus high levels of survivability.

“Building the two QEC carriers is the largest engineering project in the U.K., behind only the Olympics,” said Jim Bennett, power & propulsion director of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, which is building the ships. “The project team has pulled together to meet critical milestones. The on-time delivery of the 110-ton GE Advanced Induction Motors is a key element in the success of this massive undertaking.”

Fuel saving is a major driver for the IFEP design. According to the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence, the 65,000-ton QE class warships, with their advanced propulsion system, are expected to consume no more fuel during typical routine operations than the much smaller (22,000 ton) predecessor CVS class carriers. Over their lifetime of 25 years or longer, the two QEC carriers will achieve significant economic, environmental and operational benefits including greatly improved autonomous operation.

In addition to meeting the ever-growing electrical needs of combat ships, the all-electrical power and propulsion approach improves ship survivability by decoupling the placement of the turbines and the generators from the propellers’ mechanical drive. Power generation and propulsion equipment is instead distributed across several independent compartments rather than concentrated into a single space or small number of spaces.

“The QEC’s propulsion system is consistent with a growing trend among the world’s leading navies to use GE’s electric propulsion technology,” said Paul English, marine vertical leader for GE Energy Management’s Power Conversion business. “They include the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers, the U.S. Navy’s LDH8 and Zumwalt destroyers and the French Navy’s Mistral class, among others.”

The new QEC carriers will be the Royal Navy’s largest warships and the second largest aircraft carriers in the world, behind the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz class carriers, and are the world’s first fully electrically propelled aircraft carriers.

The IFEP power and propulsion system for the QEC carriers is being designed and built under a Power and Propulsion sub-alliance that enables leading companies in their specific fields to provide the most cost-effective mechanism for system delivery. This innovative approach brings together expertise from Thales UK, GE Energy Management’s Power Conversion business, Rolls-Royce and L-3 Communications.

The aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are being delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, a unique partnering relationship between BAE Systems, Thales UK, Babcock and the U.K. Ministry of Defence.

Source : BAEsystems

Ship Repair awarded $7 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy

 

Ship Repair awarded $7 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to work on the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3).

 

The Ship Repair team in Norfolk, Virginia was awarded a $7 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to work on the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), an 844-foot-long Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. The work, to include some routine maintenance and repairs, is expected to finish by October.

Source :BAEsystems

BAE Systems Hits Grand Slam with Four Marine Corps Contract Wins

 

The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems four different contracts to design, build and test various amphibious vehicles, solidifying the company’s position as a leader in marine vehicle engineering.

 

Over the next year and a half, the company will complete a trade study around the current Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV); build and test a prototype of its Marine Personnel Carrier (MPC); and work on two different contracts related to the design of the Corps’ proposed Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV).

“Our team has worked very hard on each RFP, and we’re beyond thrilled that all of our proposals resulted in awards to BAE Systems,” said Ann Hoholick, vice president and deputy general manager for Vehicle Systems. “These awards are truly a grand slam for our team. We’re proud to have supported the U.S. Marines for over 70 years, and these programs will continue to build upon this relationship.”

The first contract is an AAV upgrade trade study, which will help the Corps’ AAV Program Office determine an optimal design for the AAV RAM/RS vehicle upgrade. This ship-to-shore vehicle has been in service since 1972, but BAE Systems continues to upgrade the vehicle and extend its life. This work will also support a validation that the capability upgrades can be produced at the targeted average procurement unit cost.

The MPC demonstration and study effort allows BAE Systems, partnered with teammate IVECO, to showcase its optimized 8x8 wheeled vehicle to the U.S. Marine Corps and demonstrate its superior balance of sea-keeping capability and force protection. The vehicle provides a new hallmark to expeditionary combat vehicle relevance.

The final two contracts, focused on design work for the ACV, will provide a leap forward in amphibious vehicle survivability by delivering the U.S. Marine Corps a blast test demonstrator based on the ACV requirements. Included trade studies will confirm the vehicle’s land and water mobility can still be achieved at higher survivability levels. One contract is related to a new, ACV-specific design concept; the second is for a design that is based off of the existing AAV. The purpose for both awards is to allow the U.S. Marine Corps the opportunity to evaluate design concepts based on a new design or an upgrade to current vehicles.

Taken as a whole, BAE Systems’ overall goal under these four contracts is to help the U.S. Marine Corps design a “Family of Systems” that incorporates low risk, mature technologies that are scalable to pace the threat and align to emerging requirements and funding.  Leveraging shared designs and systems within the vehicles will decrease infrastructure, training, maintenance and support costs.

Source :BAEsystems

BAE Systems Debuts Latest RG35 Mult-Role Fighting Vehicle at Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition

 

BAE Systems today launched the latest 6x6 variant of the RG35 family of vehicles – the RG35 multi-purpose blast protected fighting vehicle – at the 2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition (AAD).

 

“The RG35 family of vehicles incorporates 30 years of experience in tactical mobility and protection,” said Johan Steyn, managing director, Land Systems South Africa.

The RG35 6x6 has an 8.5 ton payload, a 12 cubic meters volume under armor, can seat up to 14 crew members, and carry light and medium remote controlled weapon stations. Like the 4x4 variant, the latest 6x6 variant includes independent suspension and a side mounted powerpack that can be replaced in less than one hour.

The RG35 family of vehicles can be deployed in many different roles and offers a choice of variants and configurations while maintaining 80 percent vehicle commonality. RG35 combines the high levels of survivability of the RG31 Mine Protected Vehicle with the tactical capability of an infantry fighting vehicle.

Integrated onto the vehicle at AAD will be the TRT-B25 (Tactical Remote Turret) also from Land Systems South Africa.

Source : BAEsystems

Type 45 Destroyer

Type 45 Destroyer Duncan Departs on Maiden Sea Trials

17:48 GMT, September 2, 2012 Glasgow, United Kingdom | DUNCAN, the sixth and final Type 45 destroyer built by BAE Systems, has today set sail from the company’s Scotstoun shipyard to embark on her first stage of sea trials off the west coast of Scotland.

During three weeks at sea, DUNCAN will undertake an extensive programme of trials that will include testing of her power and propulsion systems, auxiliary and domestic services.

Paul Rafferty, Type 45 Programme Director at BAE Systems, said: “This is the sixth Type 45 destroyer to embark on sea trials, but there will be no complacency in the rigour with which we will put her through her paces and prove her outstanding capabilities. Every stage in the delivery of the Type 45 destroyers brings an enormous amount of pride to those who have worked on the programme and there’s a special significance attached now that all six ships have sailed the seas.” 

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Boeing, BAE Systems Compete for F-16 Upgrade Work

Korea is one of many countries seeking to upgrade their F-16s. Lockheed Martin is facing competition from BAE Systems and Boeing for the work. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

 

 

July 13, 2012, 2:50 PM

Competition in the F-16 upgrade market is heating up, with Boeing joining BAE Systems in challenging Lockheed Martin’s dominance as OEM. Boeing is touting the experience it gained recently in converting F-16s to unmanned drones for the U.S. Air Force. BAE Systems continues to emphasize its 270-aircraft upgrade for the U.S. National Guard, as a basis for securing international work.
“Each customer’s need for F-16 upgrade work is different; there is not a stock solution. They need choice and competition,” said Floyd McConnell, vice president for integrated aviation solutions at BAE Systems. Speaking at the Farnborough show, he said that the needs could be divided into four categories: evolving threats, avionics modernization, obsolescence management and long-term support. BAE Systems’ new commercial fire control computer (CFCC) is the glue that could bind the various parts of the F-16’s mission systems, said McConnell. He added that BAE Systems is agnostic regarding the rival merits of the new AESA radars that Northrop Grumman and Raytheon have proposed for the Fighting Falcon.


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