MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
19 Feb 09. The possibility of aerospace engineers Marshalls of Cambridge moving their headquarters to RAF Wyton received a boost this week with the collapse of negotiations over the company’s preferred location in Suffolk. After strategic planners identified the huge Cambridge Airport site as ideal for housing in the rapidly-expanding sub-region, Marshall started to look for alternative sites. Although Alconbury has what is regarded as one of the finest runways in Britain, it was rejected at an early stage. Marshalls plumped for a detailed look at three sites – Mildenhall, in Suffolk, RAF Wyton and RAF Duxford. In the face of strong opposition from neighbours and a lukewarm response from South Cambridgeshire District Council, the family-owned aerospace company commissioned a detailed feasibility study into Wyton and Mildenhall. Consultants suggested three possible arrangements at the Suffolk
base – Marshalls’ preference, adjacent to one of its key customers, the US Air Force – and one at RAF Wyton. Huntingdonshire District Council has always been keen to attract Marshalls to Wyton, which was the operational home of squadrons of post-war Canberra bombers and Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft until the 1990s. The Ministry of Defence is establishing the southern part of the site as a key intelligence centre, leaving the runway and extensive northern part available in Marshalls decided to colonise it. (Source: Google/The Hunts Post)
Feb 09. BrahMos Aerospace Ltd will sign an MOU with ISRO for launcher vehicle integration, the Company CEO, Siva Thanu Pillai, said on Thursday. A separate production line for ISRO is expected to be ready by 2013 and the government has agreed to provide about 50 acre of land for it, Pillai said at a workshop here on ‘Industrial Opportunties in Aerospace and Defence Sectors’. BrahMos would also be partner with Atomic Energy department to manufacture precision robotics systems and manipulators for nuclear reactors, he said. Another area of interest is the development of Aero engines for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)s. The aim was to make Brahmos Aerospace Rs 1,000 crore company in four years time. Pillai said business worth Rs 10,000 crore turnover could be tapped by industries in Kerala from the defence sector in another 3-4 years time. The Indian defence market would be around $45bn in the next five years. (Source: Google)
20 Feb 09. The European Parliament approved Feb. 19 a report urging establishment of an EU operational headquarters, more pooling of military spending, a common statute for European soldiers, and a white paper on security and increased spending on research. French officials proposed the headquarters in the waning weeks of Paris’ EU presidency last year. The EU’s civil and military crisis-management units are to be merged later this year. (Source: Defense News)
23 Feb 09. Sikorsky Aerospace Services and the Mubadala Development Company today announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement (HOA) to form a joint venture that will establish an aviation military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Center serving the United Emirates Armed Forces and other military aircraft throughout the Middle East and North Africa. (Source: Google)
JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
18 Feb 09. EADS is in advanced discussions to shake up the management of its military division after internal tensions over the integration of the Spain-based business and problems with its A400M military transport programme. The European aerospace and defence group is still considering a range of options, but Carlos Suárez is expected to leave his post as head of Airbus Military, people familiar with the situation said. An announcement could be made this week. The move follows disagreements between Mr Suárez and Tom Enders, chief executive of Airbus – the commercial aircraft subsidiary of EADS – over plans to integrate the military division. The integration, announced in December, wa