Cobham Teams With GA-ASI to Provide UAV Whole Life Support to UK Mod

(July 15, 2008) -- Cobham plc (Cobham) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) are pleased to announce the creation of a Teaming Agreement to cover whole life support arrangements for UK Government GA-ASI products. This teaming arrangement will initially focus on the provision of support to the UK MoD MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system (UAS) currently in operation with the Royal Air Force (RAF) over Afghanistan. The Team will develop support solutions that could be used by the UK MoD to offer increased flexibility and sovereignty over existing arrangements.

Andy Stevens, Chief Operating Officer Cobham said:

"This Teaming Agreement enables us to apply all of the capabilities of our Aviation Services Division to deliver what could be a very important contribution to the UK MoD's operational UAV capability. This also emphasises the importance of the UK Defence Industrial Strategy and the part that we can play in service provision to the MoD in partnership with GA-ASI. We look forward to working with our US partner to deliver such support services as the UK MoD may require."

Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., President, Aircraft Systems Group, GA-ASI commented:

"The multi-mission Predator B has demonstrated superior reliability, affordability and surveillance capabilities, and UK forces are now witnessing the aircraft's proven reconnaissance and strike capabilities first-hand. By teaming with Cobham, a UK industry leader, we have taken the next step to ensure that UK Reaper operations can continue to be backed by timely, flexible, integrated logistics support."

Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Tim Anderson made the following statement:

"RAF Reapers are continuing to prove and expand their versatility and effectiveness across their current theatre of operations and roles, making a real difference and saving lives. We welcome the teaming arrangement between GA-ASI and Cobham as it will build on a well-established relationship to offer the prospect of increasingly responsive and effective support to these key systems."

Jonathan Barratt, the Strategic Unmanned Air Vehicle Experiment (SUAVE) Integrated Project Team Leader (IPTL) also stated that: "The teaming arrangement provides us with the potential for UK to increase flexibility and robustness of support and the ability to develop UK industry's UAS support capabilities in line with MOD Defence Industrial Strategy. We look forward to the team's proposals."

Source : Cobham plc

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