MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
LAND
20 Jul 09. Thales is setting up a local facility to provide technical support services for ground surveillance radars BOR-A and Squire, selected for several applications in Saudi Arabia. Thales has a long experience in supplying Saudi security forces with ground surveillance radar systems. This facility will provide customers with technical support, maintenance, training and final assembly and will coordinate these activities with the out-of-Kingdom Thales outlets. The aim of such proximity with users is to ensure reactivity and local expertise.
24 Jul 09. Leading industrialists and academics from across the world have witnessed the launch of the European Space Agency (ESA)’s first ever UK base at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (HSIC). As part of a two day event (22nd and 23rd July), ESA saw for themselves the world-leading research and technology facilities already at the campus and at its sister Science and Innovation Campus in Daresbury. Lord Drayson, the UK’s Minister for Science and Innovation, attended the launch event in London on 22nd July where representatives from industry, academia and other government departments heard how the ESA facility will focus upon three key areas: combining data and images from space to create new applications for everyday life; climate change modelling; and the development of novel power sources and innovative robotic technologies to explore space. The establishment of the new ESA facility will capitalise on the UK’s world-leading expertise in space science, earth observation and related technologies. The ESA facility is expected to be a key element of a much wider vision for the future of the UK’s fast-growing space economy, through the creation of an International Space Innovation Centre (ISIC) at Harwell. During a visit to HSIC on the 23rd July representatives from US and European aerospace companies were shown the
opportunities available through co-location onto the campus. On the same day, the Science and Technology Facilities Council
(STFC) hosted a visit from ESA officials to the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Harwell’s twin centre in Cheshire. The aim of the Daresbury visit was to show how the campus’s successful collaborative and interdisciplinary approach is working in practice and to inform the future development of the ESA facility in the UK and the wider proposed ISIC project.
30 Jul 09. Aero Sekur, a specialist in aerospace and defence sector products, is expanding its UK presence with offices at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. Reinforcing commitment to the UK, and timed to coincide with the purchase of offices, a new company Aero Sekur Space and Defence Systems Ltd has also been formed. The Harwell offices for Aero Sekur will house an initial four newly recruited commercial and engineering employees. The investment supports European growth for the company and preparation for introduction of UK Aero Sekur production facilities, planned for 2010. Employing 172 people, Aero Sekur’s main 150,000 sq ft production premises are located 30 miles South of Rome. Prime production will continue in Italy and longer term plans include investment in UK manufacturing facilities to support specific local requirements.
29 Jul 09. Northrop Grumman Corporation last week opened a new, state-of-the-art Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC), a comprehensive cyber threat detection and response center that focuses on protecting Northrop Grumman and its customers’ networks and data worldwide.
MARITIME
23 Jul 09. HMS DARING: Commissioned. HMS DARING, the first Type 45 destroyer, was formally commissioned into the Fleet (23 Jul 09) in front of her sponsor, HRH The Countess of Wessex. The ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base was conducted by the Chaplain of the Fleet, The Venerable John Green.
Comment: HMS DARING is the first of six Type 45 destroyers and was launched in February 2006. DAUNTLESS & DIAMON