BAE North America

BAE North America is a leading defence, national security, aerospace and information systems business. It is a leading provider of electronic and information-based systems and knowledge-based solutions. BAE North America employs approximately 30,000 people at sites across the U.S. and, in the year ended 31 December 2004, generated $5,078 million in revenues. It ranks among the top ten suppliers to the US military. Since it was formed in 1999, BAE North America has completed twelve acquisitions in the U.S. defence market, including Sanders, DigitalNet and ALPHATECH, and has a track record of successful integration and delivering shareholder value.

BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. A key strategic objective of BAE Systems is to expand its presence in the U.S. defence market and grow as the premier transatlantic aerospace and defence group. The combination of the high priority afforded to U.S. national security, a strong commitment to research and development and contracting terms that balance risk and reward provide a healthy environment for the U.S. defence industry.

The company designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, fighting vehicles, radar, avionics, communications, electronics and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. It is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.

BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company has more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately £12 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.

BAE Systems prime contracting capability combines key in-depth skills in systems, defence and aerospace, enabling it to manage the most complex high-level systems tasks and provide total solutions - a one-stop shop capability and service provision.

BAE Systems designs, manufactures, and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, space systems, radar, avionics, C4ISR, electronic systems, guided weapons and a range of other defence products, many of these with international partners. Key skills include systems integration, complex software and hardware development and advanced manufacturing.

In aviation, the company takes a leading role in joint programmes for military and civil aircraft such as Eurofighter, Joint Strike Fighter and Airbus in partnership with the world's other leading aircraft companies. For the world's navies it offers a leading ship design capability, building frigates, submarines and aircraft carriers, as well as radar, missiles, C4ISR systems and torpedoes. It is the prime contractor for the UK Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers and the Astute class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

On land, in the new digitised battlespace, company systems include radar, C4ISR networks, artillery, guided weapons and electro-optics. In space, the company has a wide range of expertise and technology in high-quality image exploitation and archiving systems for stereo photogrammetry, photointerpretation, and mapping, charting and geodesy (MC&G) applications. The company also develops, integrates, and produces test equipment for advanced electronic systems including space launch, satellites, and provides avionics systems for the Atlas and Titan launch vehicles.

The company's research and development projects cover the spectrum of technologies, materials and synthetic environments, such as virtual reality and 3D modelling, that constantly extend the frontiers of performance. The high software content of the company's advanced systems means that software development is a key activity that involves more than 10,000 systems software engineers.

BAE Systems has a major presence internationally, particularly in Europe and the United States as well as in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australia. The company has a full in-service support and logistics organisation so that it can work with customers both in specifying solutions to their needs, and offering the management and operation of their facilities, as well as training, repair and overhaul of products and the provision of professional logistic support.

BAE History

BAE Systems has a proud heritage that dates back to manned flight and early wireless communications. From the early days when pioneer A.V. Roe built his first aeroplane that flew little farther than the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk to the wireless telegraph operators who saved hundreds by getting the distress signal out from the Titanic to the perilous World War II bombing missions over Europe in Lancaster bombers to the inaugural flight of the world's first vertical takeoff fighter to the total systems integration solutions today's civil and military customers need, BAE Systems' heritage of evolution and mergers have created a global leader that has a proud past and an eye toward the future.

In April 1977 British Aerospace (BAe) was formed as a nationalised corporation by the merger of British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and Scottish Aviation.

In January 1981 British Aerospace was formed as a public limited company (PLC), acquiring the assets and business of the nationalised corporation. In February 1981 the UK Government sold 51.57% of its shares to public. Foreign shareholding initially limited to 15%. (Later raised to 29.5%).

In May 1982 Sperry Gyroscope was acquired for £42 million. In April 1987 Royal Ordnance plc acquired (£190 million). In August 1988 the Rover Group plc was acquired (£150 million), renamed Rover Group Holdings plc.

In January 1989 British Aerospace plc became a HQ management organisation controlling wholly-owned subsidiaries, each marketing its own specialised products under its own name. In March 1989 the National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd formed to integrate and commercialise the operations of the National Remote Sensing Centre and the Earth Observation Data Centre. In August 1989 the limit on foreign shareholding raised to 29.5% Arlington Securities Plc acquired (£278 million).

In January 1991 British Aerospace Systems and Equipment Limited was established as a separate trading company. In March 1991 Heckler & Koch GmbH, the German small arms, machine tool and general engineering company, was acquired.

In August 1991 BAeSEMA Ltd was formed as a joint venture company with the Sema Group. Muiden Chemie, a Dutch ammunition propellant manufacturer, wa acquired by Royal Ordnance. In January 1992 British Aerospace Defence Limited began trading as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAe on 1st January 1992. The three previously separate defence companies Ð British Aerospace (Military Aircraft) Ltd, British Aerospace (Dynamics) Ltd and Royal Ordnance plc, plus Systems and Services Division now operate as divisions of British Aerospace Defence Ltd. In April 1992 British Manufacture & Research Limited (BMARC), producer of medium-calibre guns and ammunition, was acquired.

In June 1995 British Aerospace and Saab Military Aircraft signed joint marketing and production agreement to offer JAS 39 Gripen in the export market. And in December 1995 British Aerospace Defence Ltd and Dassault Aviation signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the establishment of a joint-venture company in the field of military aircraft technology.

In August 1996 British Aerospace plc announced it has signed an agreement with Lagadere Groupe SCA to form a joint venture in guided weapons, guided weapon systems and related activities. Joint venture to be called Matra BAe Dynamics. British Aerospace Australia acquires remaining 50% of the Australian Air Academy, its business activities will be co-ordinated with those of British Aerospace Flying College British Aerospace Flying College and Australian Air Academy renamed British Aerospace Flight Training (UK) Ltd and British Aerospace Flight Training (Australia) Pty Ltd respectively.

In September 1996 Royal Ordnance and Oerlikon-Contraves AG Defence signed a collaborative agreement to develop, market and jointly manufacture the 35mm Millennium Inner Layer Ship Defence System. British Aerospace Australia acquires the Shorts (Northern Ireland) armoured vehicle business.

In October 1997 - Matra BAe Dynamics agreed to the acquisition of a 30% interest in German guided weapons business LFK, a subsidiary of Daimler Benz Aerospace. British Aerospace signs agreement to acquire Siemens Plessey Systems (UK) and Siemens Plessey Electronics Systems (Australia) for approximately £319 million subsequent to regulatory approval.

In April 1998 British Aerospace completes the acquisition of Siemens Plessey Systems (SPS) from Siemens AG following regulatory approval. SPS renamed British Aerospace Defence Systems Limited. Aero International (Regional) partners British Aerospace, Aerospatiale and Alenia agree on company dissolution. British Aerospace agrees the acquisition of a 35% interest in Saab AB, the Swedish aerospace and defence company, for £269 million subject to regulatory approvals. British Aerospace founds its Virtual University. The Virtual University will link education, training and development for the British Aerospace workforce with the acquisition of new technologies and strategic research. Foreign shareholding limit raised to 49.5% with a new limit of 15% on the number of Ordinary Shares which any single foreign owner may hold.

In January 1999 British Aerospace and GEC agreed to create a global aerospace and defence company merging British Aerospace with GEC's Marconi Electronic Systems business. BAeSEMA and Defence Systems Limited merge to create Land and Sea Systems, part of the Defence Systems Group.

In November 1999 British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems merged. The company is called BAE Systems.

BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc. Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, BAE Systems, Inc. is responsible for developing BAE Systems' transatlantic business, relationships with the U.S. Government, administration of BAE Systems' Special Security Agreement, and managing its U.S.-based Operating Groups which collectively employ some 45,000 employees in the U.S., U.K., Sweden, Israel, and South Africa generating annual sales in excess of $10 billion.