Flight International online news 13:30 GMT: The UK Ministry of Defence and Thales UK have signed a contract worth $1.25 billion for the full development, manufacture and initial support phases of the Watchkeeper programme.
Watchkeeper will provide the UK armed forces with an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability based on an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system and will be a key component of the UK's network enabled capability (NEC).
This programme will deliver equipment, training and facilities, with the capability coming into service from 2010.
Alex Dorrian, CEO of Thales UK says: “As the largest single contract for Thales UK to date this is an important moment for us and one we have all worked toward for a long time. Based on this endorsement, we expect to secure export sales of at least £400 million over the next ten years.”
Source: Flight International
