BAE Systems is continuing development of its private-venture Kingfisher gun-launched, multi-purpose carrier round, with plans now taking shape for firing trials with a sonobuoy payload.
In development since 2018, Kingfisher was originally conceived as a low cost means to deliver an explosive payload at range from a 5-inch (127mm) gun. While concept development has been financed through BAE Systems’ own innovation fund, the company has engaged with the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the Maritime Capability (MARCAP) staff in Navy Command Headquarters to refine its thinking. Initial engineering feasibility efforts have involved BAE Systems’ Weapon Systems business in Louisville, Kentucky (manufacturer of the Mk 45 Mod 4 gun).
“We started out with a discussion of how we could replace the old Mk 11 Depth Charge with a more novel option,” said Murray Thomson, chief technologist for the Underwater Weapons business of BAE Systems Maritime Services in the UK. “Drawing on technologies and expertise from across BAE Systems, we developed the idea of an underwater explosive charge contained in a round fired from [an] Mk 45 gun.”
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 03 Feb 2021, 11:43
by ArmChairCivvy
Nominally BAE is a UK company, though there is some sort of Chinese wall between their US defence biz and the rest. They are in the TopTen for 2020, in the US DoD suppliers' list:
PRIME CONTRACTOR $ millions % of total
Lockheed Martin Corp $74,913 17.77%
Raytheon Technologies Corp $26,489 6.28%
General Dynamics Corp $21,880 5.19%
The Boeing Company $21,708 5.15%
Northrop Grumman Corp $12,068 2.86%
Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc $7,710 1.83%
Humana Inc $6,922 1.64%
BAE Systems plc $6,499 1.54%
L3Harris Technologies Inc $6,272 1.49%
General Electric Company $4,378 1.04%
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 03 Feb 2021, 14:16
by Ron5
Humana Inc does medical insurance. I have mine with them too.
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 03 Feb 2021, 17:27
by ArmChairCivvy
Thx. Does the Pentagon 'block buy' it for employees (as part of contract)?
- I seem to remember that VA (Veterans' Administration) has its own budget; not sure
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 22 Jul 2022, 00:43
by SKB
BAE Systems at Farnborough Airshow 2022
(BAE Systems) 20th July 2022
It’s Farnborough International Airshow week, and from Tempest and Eurofighter Typhoon, to head-up display and space technology, we’re showcasing some of our very best products, people and services.
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 28 Feb 2023, 08:52
by Timmymagic
Strix VTOL UCAV with 2 x Razer 50kg GPS gliding munition loaded (a halfsized SDB1 concept), with Sea Venom and Enforcer alongside.
RAZER is an low-cost air-launched precision guided munition that is designed to transform a 40-50kg standard non guided munition into a precision air launched weapon at low cost.
The RAZER system consists of a wing/body kit and tail unit equipped with a powered GPS/INS guidance control and navigation system, aimed at operations from uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) and rotary wing aircraft.
I found slides 31 and 52 really interesting, for example Order backlog on Typhoon is listed out to 2027, "Opportunties" to 2032.
It reminded me how odd the divisions in BAE are with UK land part of maritime and US ship repair and naval guns part of platform and services, but why is platform and services called that when it is mainly land and munitions. Then you have Electronic Systems and Air.
Re: BAE Systems plc
Posted: 22 Feb 2024, 18:55
by SD67
To be fair the current CEO has tidied it up massively
UK land is tiny, basically just 40% of RBSL, which may well be sold eventually
I guess they see ship repair as not within Maritime because it's not product-driven, they're not developing anything.
The funny one is Air Astana - they own an airline in Kazakhstan - bet there's a story there
SD67 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2024, 18:55
The funny one is Air Astana - they own an airline in Kazakhstan - bet there's a story there
It's linked to a deal they were doing a long time ago - got the portion of the airline (i think about 40%) but then the deal never happened. Heard they were trying to sell it.
