BAE Systems Australia

Infobox Company
company_name = BAE Systems Australia Limited
company_
company_type = Private
foundation = 1953
location_city = Edinburgh Parks, Adelaide
location_country = Australia
origins =
key_people =
area_served =
industry = Aerospace and defence
products =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees = Approximately 5,500 [ [http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/BAESystemsAustralia/AboutUs/index.htm BAE Systems Australia - About us] ]
parent = BAE Systems plc
divisions =
subsid =
company_slogan =
homepage = [http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/BAESystemsAustralia/index.htm www.baesystems.com/Businesses/BAESystemsAustralia]
footnotes =

BAE Systems Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, is the largest defence contractor in Australia. It was formed by the merger of British Aerospace Australia and GEC-Marconi Systems and expanded by the acquisitions of Armor Holdings in 2007 and Tenix Defence in June 2008.

History

BAE Systems' Australian heritage dates back to testing of the first generation air defence missile systems in Woomera, South Australia in the early 1950s. Weapons testing at Woomera began in 1953 by the Bristol Aeroplane Company and the English Electric Company. Both companies merged to become the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). In 1977, BAC was nationalised and operations in Australia were renamed British Aerospace Australia.

British Aerospace Australia doubled in size in April 1996 with the purchase of AWA Defence Industries (AWADI). [cite news | first = Chris | last = Milne | title = Defence force on warpath | work = The Advertiser | publisher = Nationwide News Pty Ltd. | date = 1996-07-12 | accessdate = 2006-12-11] AWADI was formed in October 1988 by the merger of the defence electronics business of AWA Ltd, Thorn EMI Electronics Australia and Fairey Australasia. [cite news | first = Chris | last = Milne | title = $12,500m defence work | work = The Advertiser | publisher = Nationwide News Pty Ltd. | date = 1988-10-18 | accessdate = 2006-12-11]

BAE Systems was formed on 30 November 1999, following the merger of British Aerospace with the General Electric Company's (GEC) defence arm, Marconi Electric Systems.

Products & services

BAE Systems Australia provides many products and services to the ADF including: Fast Jet support, Military Flight Training, Autonomous Systems, Guided Weapons (naval air defence) and Communications, Command & Support.

BAE Systems Australia operates five business units. Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C), Joint, Aerospace, Land, and Maritime. [http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/BAESystemsAustralia/Divisions/index.htm]

Corporate & community

BAE Systems Australia is headquartered at Edinburgh Parks, South Australia. With the aquisition of Tenix defence, the company now employs approximately 5500 people Australia-wide. BAE's partner charity is the Cancer Council Australia. The company supports efforts by staff to raise money and awareness of their partner charity.

References

External links

* [http://www.baesystems.com/australia]