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BAE SYSTEMS wins Silicon MEMS sensor development contract for Saab Bofors Dynamics MBT law missile

21 Sep 2001

BAE Systems has been awarded a development contract from Saab Bofors Dynamics AB to enable the tailoring of a special-purpose Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for the Saab Bofors Dynamics MBT LAW anti-tank missile. The IMU will be a derivation of the BAE Systems Avionics silicon MEMS IMU, SiIMU01. This unit has already been selected by Matra BAe Dynamics (MBDA) for the UK Block 2 Vertical Launch Seawolf missile programme.

Saab Bofors Dynamics, in partnership with Thales in Belfast, are offering MBT LAW as their solution to the UK MoD Next Generation Light Anti-Armour Weapon (NLAW) programme. Saab Bofors Dynamics has recently completed the MoD-funded Project Definition (PD) programme with a successful firing of the prototype MBT LAW missile and have already submitted their prices for the Full Development and Production phase. Use of the BAE Systems SiIMU technology enables a very competitive package to be offered to the MoD, as well as establishing considerable additional UK work content in the proposed production programme.

Background Information
BAE Systems silicon MEMS sensors offer a hitherto unachievable package of high reliability, ruggedness and performance, coupled with low weight, volume and price. Commercial rate sensors, based on BAE Systems silicon MEMS rate technology, (SiVSG), are in high volume production, with contracts from the automotive industry already amounting to several million sensors/year. The SiIMU products, developed and produced at BAE Systems Plymouth for aerospace and defence applications, typically package three SiVSG rate sensors with three silicon accelerometers, together with the associated processing. The special SiIMU development for MBT LAW will allow additional sensor functionality to be incorporated.

MBT LAW is a new anti-tank missile under development by Saab Bofors Dynamics to meet the MoD NLAW requirement. Saab Bofors Dynamics have teamed with Thales Belfast to offer this package to the MoD and, if the team is successful in the MoD PD competition, Thales will be responsible for eventual production of the missiles. Demonstration firings of prototype MBT LAW missiles took place in July.

BAE Systems is a key member of TEAM MBT LAW UK, a consortium of UK-based subcontractors selected by Saab Bofors Dynamics and Thales to optimise the missile development and to maximise the UK work content of the finished product. The consortium meets on a regular basis to co-ordinate efforts to achieve selection by the MoD.