BAE Systems has announced that it will continue providing lifecycle sustainment, integration, and engineering services to support U.S. aircraft carriers after being selected for a five-year, $68.5 million contract.

According to BAE, under the Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATC&LS) Engineering Products & Technical Services (EPTS) contract awarded earlier this year, BAE Systems will leverage decades of program history to develop, produce, equip, test, evaluate, sustain, and update the AN/SPN-46(V) Automatic Carrier Landing System.

		 BAE Systems to sustain critical carrier landing systems with $68.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy“With this win, BAE Systems retains a key air traffic control contract that we have held since 1973 to provide industry-leading systems integration capabilities and solutions that ensure the safety of critical carrier-based landing systems,” said Lisa Hand, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems’ Integrated Defense Solutions business.

The AN/SPN-46(V)1 is a Precision Approach and Landing System, manufactured in the United States, by Textron Systems, which is used on aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. The radar uses two dual-band radar antennas, which also function as transmitters, to guide planes or helicopters to the ship.

Tom Dunlop
Tom has spent the last 13 years working in the defence industry, specifically military and commercial shipbuilding. His work has taken him around Europe and the Far East, he is currently based in Scotland.

20 COMMENTS

    • BAE has performed this function for the US navy for almost 48 years as per the article
      It would appear that this British world spanning success is constantly in the defence news almost every day particularly within the US sphere.

      • But it’s good too see that the continuing use of British equipment is seem as a better alternative to home grown so too speak

        • Yup the British designed landing system was developed for Harrier and F-35B, and later modified for CATOBAR

  1. Agree with all the other posts on this one….side note: that’s some serious air power in the photo..rivals a lot of actual air forces.

      • Tongue in cheek, Bob. I wasn’t serious.

        Just hinting at the fact the US has a higher recognition of the importance of defence capability than the UK. I’d like to see the UK at the very least match the US defence budget of 3% of GDP. But wishful thinking I know.

    • Something to do with they havnt Butt bummed the USA Taxpayer yet, give them time BAEs is far from a British company and is more Chinese, and i used to work for them.

        • you want proof BAEs screwed the taxpayer, i start with MRA4 that’s a good one, next removing all Harrier Airframes extended flight hours, and then Invincible class removed service parts on the turbine gearbox. YOU NEED MORE and don’t mention SUPA GLUEING BOLTS on. Their only interest is selling off old factory airfields so they can purchase contracts… your proof is in the National Audit Office reports on BAEs.

      • Sorry that is a load of twaddle. Clearly didn’t work for BAE. BAE is a UK company and saying it is more US and Chinese is ridiculous.

        • more Chinese parts in BAEs than any country, how many LCD screens in any BAEs products, worked at Dunsfold building Hawks and Harriers. so dumbfuck guess i know a little more than you….

  2. It’s important to note these companies no longer hold a national identity in the sense that British airspace or British petroleum were British companies and so were linked intrinsically to the betterment of the British nation state. These creations of neoliberal globalisation are very much sovereign entities in their own right, having partnerships of convenience with nation states but having no specific belonging to any single nation.

    • The plot of the video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare should serve as a reminder of the dangers of giving private defence companies too much power. In this plot a fictional private defence company named Atlas Corporation becomes so powerful by selling arms to the nations of the world that the company itself becomes a sovereign entity that rivals the superpowers. Eventually they declare war on the world in an attempt of world domination of course.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here