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20/07/2004
Thales 'preferred bidder' for multi-million pound defence project
Thales Defence Ltd has been named as the preferred bidder for the MoD's multi-million pound unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) programme.
Four companies (Thales, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin) were invited to undertake the first stage of the assessment phase. Northrop Grumman ISS International and Thales (UK) were selected in February 2003 to continue through to the second stage and to make bids for the demonstration and manufacture phase.
And today, Thales – which employs 12,000 people in the UK – were named as preferred bidder. The aim is to bring Watchkeeper into service as soon as possible with capability beginning from around the end of 2006. The programme cost is in the order of £800 million.
Among UK companies to be involved in the delivery of Watchkeeper are: Marshalls Specialist Vehicles Ltd; Vega Group plc; Praxis Critical Systems Ltd; and QinetiQ Ltd.
The Watchkeeper UAVs will be expected to provide battlefield commanders with "accurate, timely and high quality imagery", the MoD said.
Speaking at the Farnborough Air Show, Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon said that today's decision "marked an important step for this hugely significant military programme".
Negotiations will start immediately and the contract will only be let once these have been successfully concluded, Mr Hoon added.
The MoD's 'New Chapter of the Strategic Defence Review', published in 2002, highlighted the "significant part" that UAVs will play in improving operational effectiveness. By linking sensors on UAVs to the decision-maker and 'strike' systems, via the wider command and control network systems such as Bowman, the time to pass information will be reduced, enabling commanders to deliver precise and decisive military effect with time and accuracy, according to the MoD.
(gmcg)
Four companies (Thales, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin) were invited to undertake the first stage of the assessment phase. Northrop Grumman ISS International and Thales (UK) were selected in February 2003 to continue through to the second stage and to make bids for the demonstration and manufacture phase.
And today, Thales – which employs 12,000 people in the UK – were named as preferred bidder. The aim is to bring Watchkeeper into service as soon as possible with capability beginning from around the end of 2006. The programme cost is in the order of £800 million.
Among UK companies to be involved in the delivery of Watchkeeper are: Marshalls Specialist Vehicles Ltd; Vega Group plc; Praxis Critical Systems Ltd; and QinetiQ Ltd.
The Watchkeeper UAVs will be expected to provide battlefield commanders with "accurate, timely and high quality imagery", the MoD said.
Speaking at the Farnborough Air Show, Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon said that today's decision "marked an important step for this hugely significant military programme".
Negotiations will start immediately and the contract will only be let once these have been successfully concluded, Mr Hoon added.
The MoD's 'New Chapter of the Strategic Defence Review', published in 2002, highlighted the "significant part" that UAVs will play in improving operational effectiveness. By linking sensors on UAVs to the decision-maker and 'strike' systems, via the wider command and control network systems such as Bowman, the time to pass information will be reduced, enabling commanders to deliver precise and decisive military effect with time and accuracy, according to the MoD.
(gmcg)
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