BAE Systems looks to close UK sites
Rationalisation BAE Systems is to wind down and eventually close two of its four aircraft manufacturing sites in the UK as part of a rationalisation plan that will take effect from the end of the decade. The factories most likely to shut are Brough, where the Hawk advanced trainer is built, and Woodford, home to the MRA4 Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft remanufacturing line and part of its civil aircraft support business. Salmesbury, where Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter subassemblies are built and which also carries out unmanned air vehicle development, and Warton, where the Eurofighter Typhoon final assembly line is based and JSF work is carried out, will remain open, says Nigel Whitehead, BAE’s group managing director air systems. Speaking after a Royal United Services Institute conference in London last week, Whitehead said the rationalisation was part of a long-term process but there would be “no significant losses” of jobs in the short term. The timescale would also be affected by the success of export campaigns for the Hawk and other aircraft. The four factories currently employ a total workforce of 10,200.
EADS considers salvaging Sogerma site
Restucturing EADS has set up a working group with the French authorities to look at the possibility of sustaining some activities at its Sogerma Services site at Bordeaux-Merignac. The move comes in response to government calls to reconsider the site’s closure, which EADS announced last month, and “taking into account the willingness of the French government to support the aeronautic industry through appropriate means”. Sogerma posted losses of €237 million ($306 million) last year.
Carlyle considers direct sale of Avio
Sale The Carlyle Group is considering offers to buy Italian engine manufacturer Avio from industrial and financial groups, in parallel with previously announced plans to float a proportion of shares the company holds in an initial public offering (IPO). Carlyle owns 70% of the company, with Finmeccanica holding the remainder. International investment funds including BC Partners, Cinven and KKR as well as industrial groups including L-3 Communications and Snecma are said to be interested in the company, whose value has been estimated at €2.2 billion ($2.8 billion).
Plan for RPG attack on El Al foiled
Plot Swiss intelligence officials have thwarted a terrorist plan to attack an El Al aircraft at Geneva airport. The plot to strike an El Al aircraft in mid-December during take off using a rocket-propelled grenade launcher was the work of an Algerian and a Libyan residing in Switzerland, say French and Swiss media reports. El Al operates three weekly flights between Geneva and Tel Aviv using Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and diverted its services for a week following the discovery of the plot.
Fire destroys RAF C-130K transport
Accident The UK Royal Air Force is investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed one of its Lockheed Martin C-130K transports shortly after landing in Lashkar Gar, southern Afghanistan on 24 May. All nine crew and 26 passengers aboard the aircraft escaped the blaze, which RAF sources believe could have been caused by a burst tyre.
Alenia UCAV returns to the sky
Testing Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica has launched the second phase of its Sky-X unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) technology demonstrator programme with a recent flight using an increased level of autonomy at Sweden’s Vidsel test range. Meanwhile, the company hopes to receive approval from the Italian authorities within the next month to commence Sky-X flight activities in Italy, possibly from Amendola air base, says Alenia chief military test pilot Maurizio Cheli.
Source: Flight International
