02 Mar 2005
Wednesday 2 March sees a formal launch event at London's Imperial War Museum in celebration of the MoD's latest Defence Technology Centre (DTC) - the Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems (SEAS) DTC.
This virtual centre, the fourth of its kind, is operated by a consortium led by BAE Systems, and is a pioneering collaboration in its field between the MoD, industry and academia. It is expected to play a key role in developing new technologies that will underpin future equipment programmes such as unmanned aircraft and remote-controlled submersibles. Wider civilian applications of these technologies are also likely.
The principal guest at the launch event will be Lord Sainsbury, the Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation. Senior representatives from a number of BAE Systems businesses and from other consortium partners will attend. These include AMS, CAE (UK), MBDA, Roke Manor Research, Rolls-Royce and Smiths Aerospace. Also present at the launch will be many other organisations who will be providing research within the DTC, covering industry and universities. The universities involved include Bath, Heriot-Watt, Imperial College London, Loughborough, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford and Sheffield.
The launch event marks the end of the detailed bidding and preparatory phase and flags the start of the multi-year programme. Commenting on this, Simon Jewell, BAE Systems Chairman of the DTC Board, said, "It is right that this evening is a cause for celebration, both for our customer, the MoD, and the consortium, which BAE Systems feels privileged to lead. The SEAS DTC provides the opportunity to show the ability of UK industry and academia to bring forward innovative and novel solutions to the future military needs for autonomous systems. By working in partnership with the MoD, the DTC provides the ideal environment for ideas to flourish and through the adoption of the latest systems engineering processes to pull-through the technology into military capabilities.
For further information, please contact:
Richard Coltart, Head of News, BAE Systems: + 44 (0) 1252 384875
Malcolm Adams, Head of Public Affairs, Air Systems, BAE Systems: +44 (0) 161 957 4521
