EADS and Lufthansa Technik agree to collaborate on Aircraft Self-Protection Systems
Munich, 15 December 2003
EADS Defence Electronics and Lufthansa Technik intend to cooperate on the integration of electronic self-protection systems in VIP aircraft endangered by man-portable missiles in the hands of terrorists. According to an announcement made by EADS on Monday, both companies on December, 4th have signed an agreement to collaborate in this field.
These self-protection systems include warning sensors which detect approaching missiles and report the danger to a central computer. This in turn automatically initiates suitable countermeasures such as the launching of countermeasures or the jamming of the missile’s seeker head. “The new technologies we are using here, contribute substantially to the protection of endangered aircraft”, explained Johann Heitzmann, Head of the EADS Defence Electronics Business Unit. “Thanks to our experience in the military field, we have exactly those capabilities and products which are needed for this purpose in the civilian sector.”
As the world’s leading provider of maintenance and overhaul services for commercial aircraft including their engines and components, Lufthansa Technik has also looked after VIP aircraft of governments and private individuals for more than 30 years. The Hamburg company offers a range of services from minor maintenance work to complete overhauls, in addition to designing and fitting new VIP cabins. In this venture, EADS Defence Electronics is also collaborating with AVISYS Inc., a reputed US company in the area of self-protection of VIP aircraft.
As the sensor and avionics house of EADS, EADS Defence Electronics (in formation) develops and manufactures radar equipment as well as avionics and electronic warfare systems, such as self-protection systems for aircraft, helicopters, armoured vehicles and ships. Amongst other things, the sector is involved in equipping the A400M, the Eurofighter and the Tiger and NH90 helicopters with electronic self-protection systems. In this new cooperation, EADS will provide the self-protection system that will be integrated into various types of VIP and government aircraft by LHT.
EADS is the second largest aerospace and defence company in the world with revenues of € 29.9 billion in the year 2002 and a workforce of more than 100,000. It is a systems integrator and as such is one of the few companies worldwide capable of combining various products and technologies to form complete systems and offering the associated services. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the second largest missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
Your point of contact:
EADS Defence Electronics
Lothar Belz
Phone: +49 (731) 392-3681
Email: lothar.belz@sysde.eads.net
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