2 Dec 02. AMS has recently signed further contracts for the supply of its RAT 31DL radar to the NATO community. These contracts are the result of an international competition and are worth approximately €60m. One contract was signed in Ankara with the Turkish Government for the supply of four Fixed Air Defence Radar (FADR) to the Turkish Air Force. The second was signed in Athens with the Greek Government for the supply of one FADR system to the Hellenic Air Force. An additional contact was signed with NAMSA, the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency for the Contractor Logistic Support (CLS) for all of the above five systems. Under this contract AMS will undertake all the support activities to ensure efficient operation of the radars for an initial period of four years from entering into service, with options to extend it to a total of nineteen years.

Dec 02. Dr Moonie confirms delay in truck contract. Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will make an announcement on the company awarded the military trucks contract; [84084]
(2) how many companies bidding for the military trucks contract will base manufacture of the vehicle in the UK; [84085]
(3) if he will make a statement on progress being made with the tender for the military trucks contract. [84083]
Dr. Moonie: The tenders received for the military truck contract have been assessed and the four bidders have been invited to participate in a further round of tendering. Responses are expected early next year, and an announcement on the award of contract is planned for late 2003. Proposals for United Kingdom industrial participation have been included in all the bids.

8 Dec 02. The U.K. MoD said it had postponed receiving the first Typhoon fighter, due this month, until June 2003 – 4 years late – because of continuing delays in flight testing. In May, the government said manufacturing problems had forced it to put back the first delivery of the aircraft until the end of the year. Lewis Moonie, junior defence minister, said he could not rule out further delays “until the causes and implications of the crash are fully understood”. The four-nation consortium building the fighter halted testing immediately after the crash – the first accident the aircraft had suffered – but is today expected to recommend that flying the remaining prototypes resume.

4 Dec 02. Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. (NYSE: SVC – News), announced results for the fiscal third quarter ending November 2, 2002. Sales for the third quarter of 2002 were $296.6m, (2001: $317.3m). The decrease in sales resulted principally from lower sales volumes in the company’s Power Products segment. Net earnings from continuing operations were $5.0m or $0.17 per
diluted share, (2001: $11.7m, or $0.40). Pretax costs of $1.2m or $0.03 per diluted share on an after tax basis associated with the recently announced organization changes in the Power Products segment were included in the current quarter results. Last year’s third quarter included an $11.8m after tax gain associated with a settlement with the U.S. Army related to the company’s Tactical Vehicle Systems segment. The Tactical Vehicle Systems segment, recorded sales of $113.7m in the third quarter of 2002, (2001: $103.8m). Third quarter
sales improved on slightly higher truck shipments and a favourable mix as compared to the same period of 2001. Operating profit for the quarter totalled $18.4m, (2001: $33.0m).

6 Dec 02. Northrop Grumman said its consent decree talks with the US Department of Justice putting conditions on its pending $6.7bn purchase of rival TRW could delay the deal’s close by five days. The US defence group said it still held out the possibility of closing the deal next Wednesday, when its shareholders will vote on it. It said it continued to “believe that a mutually acceptable consent decree can be reached within the next several days”.

3 Dec 02. DRS Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DRS – News) said