INTELLIGENCE IS THE NEW BLACK
The dark arts are in the spotlight with moves by Raytheon to buy California-based signals intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems maker Applied Signal Technology in a $490 million deal and BAE Systems' $212 million cash purchase of ETI, a Denmark-headquartered cyber and intelligence products supplier. The deals, both expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, follow Boeing's decision to acquire Argon ST to bolster its own SIGINT portfolio. Raytheon will combine Applied Signal's SIGINT and communications interceptors with its own radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors; such multi-intelligence packages have become popular in recent years with US armed forces. BAE's ETI deal follows its 2008 purchase of Detica and recently announced agreements to acquire L1 Identity Solutions' Intelligence Services Group in the USA and stratsec.net in Australia.
BOEING TUNES IN TO RFID INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
Boeing is to launch an automated inventory management system together with Fujitsu in early 2012, which is based on Fujitsu's radio frequency identification device technology and can be retrofitted to existing aircraft.
ASTRIUM REACHES OUT TO POLAND
EADS's Astrium space division has formed a 50-50 Polish joint venture, Astri Polska, with the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as part of a bid to help central European countries that joined the European Union within the last decade join the European Space Agency.
AEROJET ON THE HUNT FOR ALABAMA TALENT
GenCorp subsidiary Aerojet is to expand its Huntsville, Alabama presence by hiring 25 local engineers to support customers across the south-eastern USA. Aerojet customers include Orbital Sciences, to which it supplies AJ26 rocket engines.
SARGENT EXPANDS INTO SINGAPORE
Tucson, Arizona-based engineered components and aftermarket services supplier Sargent Aerospace & Defense is starting 2011 with a new customer service and business development presence in Singapore.
CHINA APPROVES AIR CHINA-CFM ENGINE VENTURE
Snecma has won Chinese government approval to convert its CFM-56 series engine overhaul shop in Chengdu to a 60-40 joint venture between Air China and CFM International, Snecma's 50-50 joint venture with General Electric.
REIMS AEROSPACE WINS LIQUIDATION REPRIEVE
French subassemblies specialist Reims Aerospace, which counts Airbus and Dassault among its customers but faces over €4 million ($5.2 million) debt, has been given a three-month reprieve to find a buyer after a court in the city ordered its liquidation.
AEROSPACE CLUSTER GROUP GROWS ITS NUMBERS
The UK's North West Aerospace Alliance has signed up 12 new members, taking the cluster organisation's roster to more than 360 companies. New members include Belden Raydex, Clock Creative Communications, Goodrich Actuation Systems, Optimum Quality Management and Sika UK.
Source: Flight International
