Avro RJX takes to the air
On Saturday 28 April, the first Avro RJX regional jet took to the skies. The flight, from Woodford near Manchester in the UK, took the aircraft to 20,000ft before landing two hours 54 minutes later back at Woodford.

Captaining the RJX on this first flight was Alan Foster, RJX Project Pilot, who said afterwards: "Today's first flight went as planned with all tests easily completed - the aircraft handled beautifully throughout the flight"

This first development aircraft, an Avro RJX-85, will later be joined by two of the larger RJX-100 aircraft in a flight test programme that will last into the first quarter of 2002. First delivery will be to British European Airways in April 2002.

Smart award for smart Sentry team
The E-3D Sentry upgrade team (which includes BAE SYSTEMS, the DLO's Sentry IPT, Boeing and Northrop Grumman) is to receive the Minister for Defence Procurement's Smart Acquisition Award.

The nomination follows the very successful radar upgrade programme installed by BAE SYSTEMS Customer Solutions & Support staff at RAF Waddington onto E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

The award, which is one of only six, recognises the team's outstanding achievements and will be presented by Baroness Symons at a special ceremony at the House of Lords.

GR4 Tornados formally cleared for operations
The GR4 update has now received its formal Release to Service from the Royal Air Force. This represents a major milestone for the aircraft, the RAF and BAE SYSTEMS and all credit goes to all those who have been involved in achieving this additional capability upgrade for the GR4.

The result of this hard work is that the GR4 aircraft will now be operationally deployed for the first time in June this year.

New consortium agreed for FSTA bid
BAE SYSTEMS has signed a Heads of Agreement with Boeing, Serco and Spectrum Capital to form a new consortium to bid for the MoD's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) requirement in competition with one other bidder, the Air Tanker consortium.

FSTA will provide the air-to-air refuelling capability for the RAF through to 2029 and is one of the MoD's largest Private Finance Initiative programmes.

BAE SYSTEMS CONTRACT AWARDS THIS MONTH

U.S. Navy Contract
BAE SYSTEMS is one of 21 vendors to receive a contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command to offer a large range of professional services over the next 15 years. During that period Naval Sea Systems Command will spend up to $14.5 billion on the services provided by all the vendors.

Under this indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract vehicle, BAE SYSTEMS Applied Technologies and its team of subcontractors will provide a wide variety of professional support services to the Naval Sea Systems Command and its affiliated directorates, program executive offices, and field activities. The contract has a five-year base period and two five-year options.

The services to be delivered will be in the areas of engineering, logistics, financial, and program management support. The value of the contract will depend upon the services requested. This award enables BAE SYSTEMS to be a full partner with the Navy in implementing the revolutionary methodology that has been established by NAVSEA to procure professional support services in the future.

Wedgetail Agreement Signed
Under an agreement with Boeing, BAE SYSTEMS Australia will be a key in-country partner to supply the Royal Australian Air Force with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability. Under the A$400 million agreement, BAE SYSTEMS Australia has responsibility for development supply and support of the electronic support function, electronic warfare self-protection systems, operational mission simulator, mission support segment and AEW&C support facility.

Infrastructure Solutions in India
In partnership with Lufthansa Aviation, our Infrastructure Solutions business has recently been awarded a contract to promote the development of civil aviation in the Indian subcontinent. The work will support a programme of work by the European aerospace agency AECMA, involving the assessment of civil aviation standards, airworthiness airports management, air traffic control and airline management. The full contract will last three years and the programme value is approximately £10 million.

ATFLIR Contract
BAE SYSTEMS has been awarded an initial low rate production contract to supply Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) systems for the US F-18 aircraft. The initial contact is worth £4.5million.

RAF Valley Hawk Groundschool contract
Customer Solutions & Support has also been selected as the preferred bidder for the RAF Valley Hawk Groundschool contract for the provision of ground training for new and refresher students on the Hawk.

It extends the existing involvement of the Hawk Synthetic Training (HST) Facility, which already provides synthetic training for Hawk students.

Aegis Antenna Contract
BAE SYSTEMS Information & Electronic Warfare Systems has received a $4.6 million contract from the U.S. Navy for four AIMS antenna group systems and associated spares for U.S. Navy AEGIS program.

C-17 Heads Up Display Contract Modification
BAE SYSTEMS Integrated Defense Solutions has negotiated a five year agreement for the support of the C-17 Heads Up Display (HUD) with the Boeing Company. This agreement provides firm, fixed pricing for the repair of the C-17 HUD Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) as well as its component Shop Repairable Units (SRUs) through 2005.

The contract value for the C-17 HUD repair agreement is estimated to be $16 million over the five year period of performance.

Chaff Cartridges order for U.S. Air Force
BAE SYSTEMS has won a $5.3million contract to supply 1.8 million RR -188 chaff cartridges to the US Air Force. This chaff countermeasure is used for pilot and radar technician training.

Contract for Camouflage Net System
The US Army has released funding of $11.6million for the supply of the ULCANS net systems, an ultralightweight camouflage net system that conceals military aircraft and ground equipment.

BAE SYSTEMS is the only certified manufacturer of the ULCANS product for the US Army.

U.S. NAVY Degaussing Contract
BAE SYSTEMS Integrated Defense Solutions has been awarded a five year, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) for the modification of the MDG1701 Degaussing Systems.

This system will be installed on U.S.Navy MCM Class Minesweepers. The potential maximum contract value is nearly $7 million, which covers the design and development of production standard modifications and the modification and installation of up to ten Degaussing systems for the USN MCM Class vessels.

Amphibious warfare program contract
BAE SYSTEMS has been awarded a contract with a ceiling value of $30.4 million by the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center to provide engineering and technical support services and material to support the command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems for amphibious warfare programs.

Work is expected to be completed by February 2005, and will be performed by the BAE SYSTEMS Applied Technologies office in Charleston, South Carolina.

BAE SYSTEMS DIVESTITURES

Imaging Sensors Business
On 6 April 2001, an agreement was reached with The Carlyle Group, Washington, DC, to divest BAE SYSTEMS Imaging Sensors business, located at Milpitas, California, to form a new company, Fairchild Imaging, Inc.

Imaging Sensors was previously part of BAE SYSTEMS Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems of Syosset, New York. It currently employs 123 people.

Under the terms of the transaction, BAE SYSTEMS North America retains an equity interest in Fairchild Imaging.

LH Systems
BAE SYSTEMS announced on Friday, 27 April, the signing of an agreement to sell its 50% interest in LH Systems, to Leica Geosystems.

Headquartered in San Diego, LH Systems was founded on June 1, 1997 as a joint venture of BAE SYSTEMS and Leica Geosystems.

LH Systems is a pioneer and one of the leaders in aerial photography, remote sensing, and photogrammetry.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS NEWS

Astrium Awarded Eutelsat W3A satellite
Astrium has been selected by EUTELSAT to build its most powerful satellite, W3A, which will provide business communications, Internet-based services and television transmission in Ku- and Ka-band over Europe and Africa from the 7°-degree East orbit location.

Astrium will design and build both the payload and the platform, which is based on its latest EUROSTAR 3000 spacecraft. Five models are already in production and, in all 32 EUROSTAR spacecraft have been ordered to date, of which 22 have already been launched and have proven highly reliable in operational service.

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