Cohort Secured GBP6.9M New Defence Contracts

(May 12, 2008) -- Cohort plc today announces that its wholly-owned subsidiaries, MASS Consultants Limited ("MASS"), Systems Consultants Services Limited ("SCS") and Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited ("SEA") have been awarded contracts totalling GBP6.9m as follows:

-- MASS - pound1.2m contract for RAF Tornado equipment
-- SCS - pound2.9m contract for the second phase of delivery on LEAPP
-- SEA - pound2.75m contract for Merlin Helicopter vibration monitoring

Commenting on developments, Stanley Carter, Chief Executive of Cohort plc said:
"These wins reflect the Cohort group's wide engagement with the defence industry and demonstrate its ability to build on its existing expertise, now and in the future."
MASS has been awarded a contract with value in excess of GBP1.2m by Ultra Electronics Sonar and Communication Systems. This contract is for the design and manufacture of electronic equipment for the RAF's Tornado aircraft. Work will start immediately, to be completed in the first half of next year.

MASS will provide new cockpit control units to allow the crew to operate the upgraded radios on the Tornado. These units will provide secure communications within and outside the aircraft, and will enable the aircraft to operate with coalition forces.

SCS has been awarded, as part of Team Athena, the UK Ministry of Defence's Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) Demonstration and Manufacture contract. The value to SCS, from manufacture until delivery in 2011 will be GBP2.9M and follows on from SCS successful participation in the preceding two year Assessment Phase.

The contract award comes through the Lockheed Martin led Team Athena, of which SCS is an integral part. This project will provide:

-- a greatly enhanced Air Picture for the Land environment (a representation of the air space above a battlefield);
-- new software tools to plan the successful deployment of LEAPP assets;
-- additional ground based sensors providing a local air picture (LAP);
-- interfaces to existing Tactical Data Links;
-- control nodes and air picture trailers to effectively coordinate and manage the distribution of the Air Picture.

SCS' role within the contract will be to provide the training solution with the assistance of Training Systems Technology Ltd and Allan Webb Ltd. In addition to this SCS will provide technical and domain expertise across the length and breadth of Team Athena.

SEA, has been awarded a contract by AgustaWestland Helicopters, valued at circa GBP2.75M.

The contract is for the design, development and delivery of flight recorders, ground-based analysis workstations and rota track and balance equipment. This equipment is for the UK-deployed Merlin Mk1 and Merlin Mk3 aircraft and is intended for operational use by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

SEA's new equipment will continuously record vibration data on-board the platforms for the pilot and maintenance crews to monitor and control aircraft vibration. Levels of vibration on-board rotorcraft need to be carefully monitored in order to avoid platform and equipment damage, unnecessary wear and tear, extended maintenance and reduced platform life.

This contract follows on from the previously successful supply of new Vibration Recorder Monitor systems for the Canadian Cormorant fleet of EH101 helicopters.

Source : Cohort plc

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