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BAE SYSTEMS-led team wins indirect fire precision attack contract

09 Nov 2001

A BAE Systems-led team has been selected as the preferred prime contractor to begin contract negotiations for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Indirect Fire Precision Attack (IFPA) 9 million Assessment Phase. The team includes the BAE Systems business units Future Systems and RO Defence, partnered with Alenia Marconi Systems, guided-weapons affiliate MBDA, HVR Consulting Services Ltd and QinetiQ.

The IFPA programme is key to providing the UK with an extended range, surface-to-surface, precision attack capability. The final capability will be centred on weapon systems for the delivery of effects and will involve the intelligent use of delivery platforms, munitions, C4I and ISTAR systems, communications and logistics.

"This is an important programme for both the UK MoD and industry, as it provides a real opportunity to work jointly through a capability based assessment process to define operational product solutions. Through IFPA, we have an opportunity to develop a smarter way of delivering optimised solutions to the frontline," said Simon Jewell, Managing Director, BAE Systems Future Systems.

The Assessment Phase of the programme will allow the team to work with the MoD to evolve the user requirement for IFPA and will culminate in the selection of preferred options for the programme together with an assessment of cost and operational effectiveness. In this competition, the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) adopted a novel approach - instead of using the traditional specification based selection, it employed a Capability Based Questionnaire (CBQ) to select the BAE Systems team as the Prime Contractor. The CBQ allows the companies involved to compete on the basis of demonstrated capability, background, experience and approach.
About Alenia Marconi Systems

Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) is a major electronic systems company based in Italy and the UK, designing, manufacturing and supplying missiles, radars and mission critical command, control and management systems to defence forces and civil air traffic authorities throughout the world. AMS is a joint venture company, owned equally by Finmeccanica and BAE Systems.