NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 13, 2005--BAE Systems in Nashua, N.H., has been awarded a $12.5 million contract for the Advanced Demonstration Phase of Project Shaman. The work is part of a larger contract between the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) and BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (Insyte) to provide the next generation of Maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) sensors for the Royal Navy.

The seven-month long initial phase will conclude with a demonstration to the Ministry of Defence.

During the next phase, which is still subject to MoD approval, the BAE Systems' team will provide its next generation sensor system - named "Sextant" - for Shaman. Sextant employs the BAE Systems-developed Diamond Software Product Family(TM). Diamond(TM) is a key enabler within the Sextant system, supplying a hardware and operating system independent open architecture that will operate in conjunction with commercial-off-the-shelf components. The open architecture allows for low-cost, low-risk integration and reduces the risk from obsolescence.

The software package is the heart of our current and future systems for both U.S. and U.K. customers across all air, land and maritime domains, said Larrie Cable, BAE Systems' vice president and general manager for Information Dominance Systems in Hudson, N.H.

This type of ISTAR capability is critical in a world where asymmetric warfare is the real challenge, said Paul Laity, BAE Systems' Shaman director. "Our collaborative U.K.-U.S. team has established a strong relationship with the U.K. MoD's Shaman Project Team and we look forward to developing that relationship through to the next phase of the Shaman program."

BAE Systems' technology partner on the project, QinetiQ Group plc, will also supply capability into Sextant. BAE Systems' Integrated System Technologies (Insyte) at Christchurch in the United Kingdom, is the prime contractor.

BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defense and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. BAE Systems North America is one of America's foremost national security, aerospace and information systems companies.

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