@BAESystemsInc #bae #ukmfg #engineering The Military Air & Information (MAI) division of BAE Systems has announced that it is making a “massive shift in operations to meet the challenge posed by defence cuts” in its domestic market. It intends to ensure that international orders account for 70% of its revenues by 2017, compared to just 30% in 2008, when 70% of its business came from the Ministry of Defence.
The company’s two Lancashire manufacturing facilities at Samlesbury and Warton, which jointly employ more than 11,000 people, are the biggest UK MAI factories; they make parts for the Typhoon and the Hawk aircraft.
Mark Parkinson, combat-air business-development director, said: “The Typhoon is still at an early stage of its 20- to 30-year life-span, so there is a lot of opportunity. There are not many aircraft that can compete with it in terms of capability. Brazil is a very exciting market opportunity, and there are also strong possibilities in Bahrain. Exports are very important to us; they will allow us to keep our employment base in the North West.”
The Hawk aircraft already has 18 customers world-wide, with 998 units sold so far. Discussions on further orders are currently being held with both the US and Polish air forces. Mr Parkinson added: “The Hawk has been a major export success story for this country, and opportunities remain for further growth — particularly in the USA, as the US Air Force doesn’t normally develop its own aircraft.”