Defence

Flight International online news 14:00GMT: Israeli defence electronics company Elbit systems has announced that its joint venture company with Thales UK, UAV Tactical Systems Ltd. (U-Tacs), has been awarded an eight-year, £317 million ($560 million) order as part of the Watchkeeper program.

U-Tacs says the majority of its activities will be carried out in the UK with a significant amount of work being sub-contracted to smaller companies.

U-Tacs also expects to recruit a number of staff to work at its new facilities in Leicester, which are currently under construction.

In addition to executing the Watchkeeper program, Elbit systems and Thales have agreed to jointly market tactical UAV projects in other countries worldwide.

Watchkeeper is the UK Armed Forces next-generation surveillance system based on the Hermes 450 UAV system and is expected to come into service in 2010.

ROSS BENTLEY/LONDON