BAE Systems
From Scramble - The Aviation Magazine
Contents |
History
BAE is the world's second-largest defence contractor and the largest in Europe. It was formed on 30 November 1999 by the £7.7 billion merger of two British companies, Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), the defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of the General Electric Company plc (GEC), and aircraft, munitions and naval systems manufacturer British Aerospace (BAe).
Ancestry
- Vickers Armstrong -> British Aircraft Corporation -> British Aerospace -> BAE Systems
- Hawker Siddeley -> British Aerospace -> BAE Systems
- Supermarine
- Folland
Acquisitions
Tracor
Tracor was founded in 1955 as Associated Consultants and Engineers. Early contracts included sales to Union Carbide and the United States Navy. The company's early focus on research and development soon expanded to the manufacture of instruments and components. In 1960 the company was renamed Texas Research Associates and in 1962 merged with Textran Corporation to become Tracor. It was acquired by Marconi Electronic Systems, a subsidiary of GEC plc, in 1998. Following the purchase of Marconi Electronic Systems by British Aerospace in November 1999 to form BAE Systems, Tracor became BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions. Following a 2005 reorganisation, the company became BAE Systems Sensor Integration, part of Electronics and Integrated Solutions.
Participations
MBDA
BAE Systems has a 37.5% stake in missile manufacturer MBDA.
