The UK’s Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) is spearheading a “significant UK presence” at Asian Aerospace. The UK has one of the largest visiting national pavilions, and a significant number of companies are exhibiting within the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) UK pavilion. British companies and organisations exhibiting at Asian Aerospace and Asian Defence Technology include AEM, BAE Systems, Chelton Defence Communications, Delcam, Englands, the Empire Test Pilots School, Farnborough International, GKN Aerospace, Goodrich, Heward Microjets, Kearsley Airways, Andrew Muirhead & Son, The Pandect Group, Replin Fabrics, Selex, Sigma Aerospace, HR Smith Group of Companies and Thales.
The UK defence industry remains at the forefront of technological innovation, and has won an average of £5 billion ($8.7 billion) of international defence equipment orders for the last five years, making it the second largest defence equipment supplier after the USA.
Alan Garwood, head of defence exports, is leading the UK delegation, and says: “UK companies are very experienced in operating within South-East Asia. They recognise the need for partnerships, long-term relationships, and excellent post-acquisition support and technology transfer. UK companies are here for the long term. Asian Aerospace gives the UK opportunity to develop these relationships and build new ones. The significant attendance by UK companies and military and civilian representatives reflects the importance of the relationship between UK and Singapore especially in the areas of defence”.
The UK’s official delegation includes senior figures from all three services, including Vice Adm Tim Mcclement, deputy commander in chief fleet in the Royal Navy, Air Vice Marshal Gavin MacKay, the senior military adviser in DESO and Brig Lamont Kirkland, director of land warfare in the British Army.
Source: Flight Daily News