PARIS AIR SHOW, Le BOURGET, France, June 17, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) continues to gain industrial momentum as the TIPS group of industries -- comprised of EADS, Galileo Avionica, Northrop Grumman ISS International, Inc., and Thales -- announce the addition of General Dynamics Canada (GDC) and Indra of Spain.
"Canada has long been a supporter of the trans-Atlantic approach the TIPS solution offers NATO," said GDC President John Watts. "General Dynamics Canada is a long-standing member of the trans-Atlantic industrial working group, striving to give NATO an effective AGS capability for the 21st century. We believe TIPS is the best solution for NATO AGS and will bring significant work on the program to Canada."
"From the view of both the Spanish MOD and Indra, these trans-Atlantic cooperative programs have been constantly successful as will be the case with TIPS in the sense that it is a fully responsive approach to the NATO AGS requirement. Furthermore, we are sure that TIPS is the best solution," said Indra Chief Executive Officer Regino Moranchel.
Speaking for the TIPS industries, Scott Seymour, president of Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Integrated Systems sector, said, "We welcome the addition of GDC and Indra to TIPS. With these additions, we are demonstrating our commitment to trans-Atlantic cooperation and recognizing the important contribution Spanish and Canadian industry will make to this program."
In addition to announcing the expansion of the TIPS industries, more than 25 members of the TIPS Industrial Working Group met Monday to discuss elements of the upcoming study phase of the program. These industries represent countries from across the Alliance, which account for more than 95 percent of the available funding for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) program.
The TIPS system-of-systems approach centers on a mixed-fleet approach based on the Transatlantic Cooperative AGS Radar, integrated onboard a manned midsize aircraft and a High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Air Vehicle. The TIPS team represents a watershed approach to trans-Atlantic industrial cooperation and technology sharing, capitalizing on technology developed in North America and Europe.
TIPS is a trans-Atlantic industrial response to provide NATO with an AGS core capability that meets NATO's Staff Requirement, is consistent with North Atlantic Council and Conference of National Armaments Directors decisions and supports NATO's transformational capabilities objectives. AGS will be able to provide situational awareness through a shared common ground picture that will be available to NATO and national decision-makers. TIPS presents the Alliance with a key component for the NATO Response Force, providing a critical capability designed to meet its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and command and control requirements for the 21st century.
With revenues amounting to 30 billion Euro (2002) and more than 100,000 employees, EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company is the largest aerospace and defence company in Europe and number two worldwide. EADS business comprises a wide experience on system integration for Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, general command, control and communications, commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, commercial launch vehicles, missile systems as well as satellites.
Galileo Avionica embodies the avionics and airborne radar capabilities of Finmeccanica, Italy's largest high technologies company and national defence leader. Galileo Avionica offers systems integration capabilities and know-how, accumulated since the sixties through a process of rationalization and merging of Italian avionics systems and equipment companies.
General Dynamics Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), is Canada's largest systems integrator. It has a global reputation for providing leading edge, technology based solutions to the armed forces in over 20 countries -- from NATO to the Pacific Rim. General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 57,500 people worldwide with 2002 revenues of $14 billion. The company has leading market positions in land and amphibious combat systems, mission-critical information systems and technologies, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation.
Indra is the leading Spanish company in Information Technologies (IT) with a very active presence in the Defense market. The company, inside of the 1 billion Euro revenue club, is structured around business areas such as: Information Technologies for civil and defense applications, simulations and automatic test equipment and defense electronic systems. Indra is deeply involved in complex and critical defense programs covering the design, development, production, integration and application for the Ministries of Defense of countries around the world.
Northrop Grumman ISS International, Inc., is a Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) company. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $25 billion global defence company, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defence electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With approximately 120,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the E-8C Joint STARS and E-10A MC2A ground surveillance aircraft and MP-RTIP radar programs.
Thales is a world leader and front-runner in professional electronics in three key markets: Aerospace, Defence and Information Technology & Services. The Group employs 65,000 people in nearly 50 countries around the globe, and generated revenues of over 11 billion Euro in 2002, 75% of which came from international sales. Thales Airborne Systems Business Group is a European leader for airborne mission systems, airborne radars, missile electronics and airborne, naval & ground electronic warfare systems.
News Media Contacts:
EADS: Lothar Belz, lothar.belz@sysde.eads.net,
+49-731-392-3681
Galileo Avionica: Mirta de Benedictis, debenedictis@finmeccanica.it,
+39-0-64-1883719
GDC: Suzanne Belanger, suzanne.belanger@gdcanada.com,
+01-613-596-7059
Indra: Susana Velasco, svelasco@indra.es,
+34 91 480 97 26
Northrop Grumman: Jim Stratford, jim.stratford@ngc.com,
+01-321-726-7526 or +01-321-626-5201
Thales: Monique Navarra,
monique.navarra@fr.thalesgroup.com,
+33 (0) 1 3481 40 50