The Australian subsidiary of Northrop Grumman has signed an agreement with Qantas Airways to acquire Qantas Defence Services (QDS).
The deal is expected to close in 2014, subject to various conditions, says Northrop. Terms of the transactions were not revealed.
"QDS complements our current integrated logistics and modernisation efforts and advances our international strategy," says Northrop's chairman, chief executive and president Wes Bush. "We expect QDS will provide an important platform for international growth in our key focus areas of unmanned, C4ISR [command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], cyber, and logistics and modernisation."
QDS provides support to the Royal Australian Air Force's A330 multi-role tanker transport fleet, operational logistics services for the Australian government's VIP aircraft, and engine overhaul services for the Lockheed Martin Orion P-3 and BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainer.
The firm, which has more than 300 employees in facilities throughout Australia, also offers engineering consultancy services to maritime customers such as the Royal Australian Navy. Recently, it was awarded a contract to refurbish Indonesia's Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
