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126-475: The OTV design was considered insufficient and lacking in certain areas, which led to the IOTV's development and fielding beginning in 2007. The IOTV is currently produced by Point Blank Body Armor, BAE Systems , KDH Defense Systems, Protective Products Enterprises, UNICOR and Creative Apparel Associates. The IOTV first saw action in combat with U.S. Army ground combat units in from mid-2007 onward and currently remains

252-456: A joint stock company . In return for a 20% share in the new company BAE Systems transferred ownership of its Airbus plants (known as Airbus UK ) to the new company. Despite repeated suggestions as early as 2000 that BAE Systems wished to sell its 20% share of Airbus, the possibility was denied by the company. However, on 6 April 2006 it was reported that it was indeed to sell its stake, then "conservatively valued" at £2.4 billion. Due to

378-436: A relative density of 1.44 (0.052 lb/in ). The polymer owes its high strength to the many inter-chain bonds. These inter-molecular hydrogen bonds form between the carbonyl groups and N H centers. Additional strength is derived from aromatic stacking interactions between adjacent strands. These interactions have a greater influence on Kevlar than the van der Waals interactions and chain length that typically influence

504-441: A "core business". On 18 August 2006 Saudi Arabia signed a contract worth £6 billion to £10 billion for 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, to be delivered by BAE Systems. On 10 September 2006 the company was awarded a £2.5 billion contract for the upgrade of 80 Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado IDSs. One of BAE Systems' major aims, as highlighted in the 2005 Annual Report, was the granting of increased technology transfer between

630-540: A "strategic bias" for expansion and investment in the US. The review also confirmed the attractiveness of the land systems sector and, with two acquisitions in 2004 and 2005, BAE moved from a limited land systems supplier to the second largest such company in the world. This shift in strategy was described as "remarkable" by the Financial Times . Between 2008 and early 2011 BAE acquired five cybersecurity companies in

756-436: A $ 5 million grant to research the use of the fabric in bullet-proof vests. Kevlar 149 was invented by Jacob Lahijani of Dupont in the 1980s. Kevlar is synthesized in solution from the monomers 1,4- phenylene -di amine ( para -phenylenediamine ) and terephthaloyl chloride in a condensation reaction yielding hydrochloric acid as a byproduct. The result has liquid-crystalline behavior, and mechanical drawing orients

882-427: A Medium OTV vest, while providing more coverage. However, a fully equipped IOTV, complete with all its components (soft armor panel inserts, four ballistic plate inserts (front and back plates and two side plates), collar, and groin protectors) still weighs 30 pounds (14 kg), with a Large IOTV weighing about 35 pounds (16 kg). The functionality of the enhanced side ballistic inserts, which provide coverage under

1008-438: A SAPI plate weighs 1.82 kg (4.0 lb) while an E-SAPI plate weighs 2.5 kg (5.5 lb), over a 35 percent increase in weight. In regards to cost, E-SAPI plates cost 50 percent more, coming in at approximately $ 600 per plate. SAPI plates were largely phased out in favor of E-SAPI plates beginning in 2005. XSAPI (X Threat Small Arms Protective Insert) plates are ceramic ballistic plates that have begun replacement of

1134-496: A V-50 of roughly 1,525 ft/s (465 m/s). This means that the bullet has to be traveling faster than 1,525 ft/s (465 m/s) for it to have more than a 50% chance of breaking through the soft armor panel. These specifications are similar to the NIJ standard level III-A certification, however, military standards do not require their vests to be NIJ certified as this is primarily a law enforcement standard. The modular design of

1260-483: A casualty, which was one concern that was not addressed with the old Interceptor armor. It also features a grid of Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) webbing on the front, back, and sides for the attachment of modular pouches and accessories such as neck and throat protection, groin protection, or deltoid protection. Equipment attachment rings for the Tactical Assault Panel (TAP), which has replaced

1386-572: A deal worth £800 million. The deal was significant because it was a factor in India's decision to finalise a £1 billion order for 66 Hawks in March 2004. Also in July 2003 BAE Systems and Finmeccanica announced their intention to set up three joint venture companies, to be collectively known as Eurosystems . These companies would have pooled the avionics, C4ISTAR and communications businesses of

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1512-426: A key component in their construction. Other military uses include bulletproof face masks and spall liners used to protect the crews of armoured fighting vehicles . Nimitz -class aircraft carriers use Kevlar reinforcement in vital areas. Civilian applications include: high heat resistance uniforms worn by firefighters, body armour worn by police officers, security, and police tactical teams such as SWAT . Kevlar

1638-810: A key element of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons capability. BAE has operated the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Tennessee, since 1999, and the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford , Virginia since 2012. BAE Systems' biggest markets are the US 44%, UK 20%, Saudi Arabia 11% and Australia 4%, as of 2022. BAE Systems is the main supplier to the UK MoD ; in 2009/2010 BAE Systems companies in

1764-456: A lighter feel because it does not rest on the female soldier's shoulders like the male vest. The first female soldier vests were given to soldiers deploying for Afghanistan in September 2012. Nearly all modern military body armor is designed to prevent penetration from bullets to vital areas of the body, in addition to protection against knives and fragmentation from explosives. Typically this

1890-432: A major American defence contractor, for £830 million (about US$ 1.4 billion). The 1997 merger of American corporations Boeing and McDonnell Douglas , which followed the formation in 1995 of Lockheed Martin , the world's largest defence contractor, increased the pressure on European defence companies to consolidate. In June 1997, British Aerospace Defence managing director John Weston commented "Europe ...

2016-415: A mesh inner cover that is designed to improve airflow inside of the armor. There is also a back pad in the lower back area of the vest, which is designed to defeat fragmentation impacts to the lower back/kidney areas. However, the back pad does not provide significant ballistic protection. The vest can withstand a direct impact from a 7.62 millimeter (both NATO and ex-Soviet types) on the front or rear if using

2142-406: A perfect solution." The attraction of MES to British Aerospace was largely its ownership of Tracor, a major American defence contractor. Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber , related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora . Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in

2268-489: A price range much higher than average cost of basketball shoes. It was also used in the laces for the Adidas F50 adiZero Prime football boot. Several companies, including Continental AG , manufacture cycle tires with Kevlar to protect against punctures. Folding-bead bicycle tires, introduced to cycling by Tom Ritchey in 1984, use Kevlar as a bead in place of steel for weight reduction and strength. A side effect of

2394-478: A provider of vehicle and individual armour systems and survivability technologies. BAE Systems (and British Aerospace previously) was a technology partner to the McLaren Formula One team from 1996 to December 2007. The partnership originally focused on McLaren's F1 car's aerodynamics, eventually moving on to carbon fibre techniques, wireless systems and fuel management. BAE Systems' main interest in

2520-434: A sharp increase in interim sales and profits. In August 2023 BAE agreed to acquire the aerospace division of US-based Ball Corporation for $ 5.6 billion in cash (approximately £4.5 billion); this was BAE's largest acquisition up until that point and was completed on 16 February 2024. In October 2023, BAE was awarded a £3.95 billion contract for development work on Aukus-class submarines up to 2028. BAE Systems plays

2646-673: A shift in strategy to take account of reduced spending by governments on "traditional defence items such as warships and tanks". In 2000 Matra Marconi Space , a joint BAE Systems/Matra company, was merged with the space division of DASA to form Astrium . On 16 June 2003 BAE sold its 25% share of Astrium for £84 million, however due to the lossmaking status of the company, BAE Systems invested an equal amount for "restructuring". BAE Systems sold its 54% majority share of BAE Systems Canada , an electronics company, in April for CA$ 310 (approx. £197 million as of December 2010). In November 2001,

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2772-637: A shock profit warning due to cost overruns of the Nimrod MRA4 maritime reconnaissance/attack aircraft and the Astute -class submarine projects. On 19 February 2003 BAE took a charge of £750 million against these projects and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) agreed to pay a further £700 million of the cost. In 2000 the company had taken a £300 million "loss charge" on the Nimrod contract which

2898-532: A significant role in the production of military equipment. In 2017, 98% of BAE Systems' total sales were military related. It plays important roles in military aircraft production. The company's Typhoon fighter is one of the main front line aircraft of the RAF. The company is a major partner in the F-35 Lightning II programme. Its Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft has been widely exported. In July 2006,

3024-481: Is accomplished through both highly durable woven synthetic fibers such as Kevlar or Dyneema , and either metal or ceramic ballistic plates. The IOTV is the standard issue torso protection component to the United States Army. The IOTV is designed to take the weight of the vest off the shoulders and move it to the lower torso, and made to permit maximum freedom of movement. The vest is also equipped with

3150-887: Is also found as a braid layer used on the outside of hose assemblies, to add protection against sharp objects. Some cellphones (including the Motorola RAZR Family , the Motorola Droid Maxx , OnePlus 2 and Pocophone F1 ) have a Kevlar backplate, chosen over other materials such as carbon fiber due to its resilience and lack of interference with signal transmission. The Kevlar fiber/epoxy matrix composite materials can be used in marine current turbines (MCT) or wind turbines due to their high specific strength and light weight compared to other fibers. Aramid fibers are widely used for reinforcing composite materials, often in combination with carbon fiber and glass fiber . The matrix for high performance composites

3276-399: Is also used to make modern marching drumheads that withstand high impact; and for mooring lines and other underwater applications. A similar fiber called Twaron with the same chemical structure was developed by Akzo in the 1970s; commercial production started in 1986, and Twaron is manufactured by Teijin . Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (K29) – branded Kevlar – was invented by

3402-663: Is competitive, however largely between American firms, while foreign companies are excluded. In December 2005 the MoD published the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) which has been widely acknowledged to recognise BAE Systems as the UK's "national champion". The government claimed the DIS would "promote a sustainable industrial base, that retains in the UK those industrial capabilities needed to ensure national security." After

3528-476: Is headquartered at the existing facility in Telford, Shropshire. In August 2020 BAE Systems completed the purchase of United Technologies ' military GPS businesses for $ 1.9 billion and Raytheon 's military airborne radios business for $ 275 million. The sale of these two business was a condition of the merger approval that saw their two parent companies merge to form Raytheon Technologies . In November 2020,

3654-610: Is set to replace the IOTV as the standard protective vest issued to US soldiers. BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British multinational aerospace , defence and information security company, based in London , England. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe and the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. Its largest operations are in

3780-409: Is slightly stronger at low temperatures. At higher temperatures the tensile strength is immediately reduced by about 10–20%, and after some hours the strength progressively reduces further. For example: enduring 160 °C (320 °F) for 500 hours, its strength is reduced by about 10%; and enduring 260 °C (500 °F) for 70 hours, its strength is reduced by about 50%. Kevlar is often used in

3906-540: Is supporting three times the number of contractors on less than half the budget of the U.S." European governments wished to see the merger of their defence manufacturers into a single entity, a "European Aerospace and Defence Company". As early as 1995, British Aerospace and the German aerospace and defence company DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) were said to be keen to create a transnational aerospace and defence company. The two companies envisaged including Aérospatiale,

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4032-440: Is used in rope and in cable, where the fibers are kept parallel within a polyethylene sleeve. The cables have been used in suspension bridges such as the bridge at Aberfeldy, Scotland . They have also been used to stabilize cracking concrete cooling towers by circumferential application followed by tensioning to close the cracks. Kevlar is widely used as a protective outer sheath for optical fiber cable , as its strength protects

4158-401: Is used to manufacture gloves, sleeves, jackets, chaps and other articles of clothing designed to protect users from cuts, abrasions and heat. Kevlar-based protective gear is often considerably lighter and thinner than equivalent gear made of more traditional materials. It is used for motorcycle safety clothing , especially in the areas featuring padding such as the shoulders and elbows. In

4284-421: Is usually epoxy resin . Typical applications include monocoque bodies for Formula 1 cars, helicopter rotor blades, tennis , table tennis , badminton and squash rackets , kayaks , cricket bats , and field hockey , ice hockey and lacrosse sticks. Kevlar 149, the strongest fiber and most crystalline in structure, is an alternative in certain parts of aircraft construction. The wing leading edge

4410-499: Is usually a resin poured onto the Kevlar to make the head airtight, and a nylon top layer to provide a flat striking surface. This is one of the primary types of marching snare drum heads. Remo 's Falam Slam patch is made with Kevlar and is used to reinforce bass drum heads where the beater strikes. Kevlar is used in the woodwind reeds of Fibracell. The material of these reeds is a composite of aerospace materials designed to duplicate

4536-577: The Astute -class submarines, Type 26 frigates and Dreadnought -class submarines. BAE Systems is indirectly engaged in production of nuclear weapons – through its share of MBDA it is involved with the production and support of the ASMP missile, an air-launched nuclear missile which forms part of the French nuclear deterrent . The company is also the UK's only nuclear submarine manufacturer and thus produces

4662-626: The Astute -class submarines, and the Type 26 frigates were all confirmed in the 2010 SDSR. A new generation of nuclear missile submarines, the Dreadnought -class , was ordered in 2016. BAE Systems sold the regional aircraft leasing and asset management arm of its Regional Aircraft business in May 2011. This unit leases the BAe 146 /Avro RJ family, BAe ATP , Jetstream and BAe 748 . The company retained

4788-541: The Concorde supersonic airliner with Aérospatiale . British Aerospace was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer, as well as a provider of military land systems. The company had emerged from the massive consolidation of UK aircraft manufacturers since World War II. British Aerospace was formed on 29 April 1977, by the nationalisation and merger of the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC),

4914-612: The Department of Trade and Industry which prevented a reference of the merger to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission . These were largely to ensure that the integrated company would tender sub-contracts to external companies on an equal basis with its subsidiaries. Another condition was the " firewalling " of former British Aerospace and MES teams on defence projects such as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). In 2007

5040-539: The Gripen fighter aircraft. In 2005 it reduced this share to 20.5% and in March 2010 announced its intention to sell the remainder. The Times stated that the decision brought "to an end its controversial relationship with the Gripen fighter aircraft". Several of the export campaigns for the aircraft were subject to allegations of bribery and corruption. The company continued its move into support services in May 2010 with

5166-703: The Hawker Siddeley Group and Scottish Aviation . Both BAC and Hawker Siddeley were themselves the result of various mergers and acquisitions. Marconi Electronic Systems was the defence subsidiary of British engineering firm the General Electric Company (GEC), dealing largely in military systems integration , as well as naval and land systems. Marconi's heritage dates back to Guglielmo Marconi 's Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company, founded in 1897. GEC purchased English Electric (which included Marconi) in 1968 and thereafter used

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5292-695: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II , the Eurofighter Typhoon , the Astute -class submarine , and the Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers . BAE is listed on the London Stock Exchange 's FTSE 100 Index . British Aerospace bought Marconi Electronic Systems for £7.7 billion on 30 November 1999 and merged with it to form BAE Systems. The company is the successor to many of

5418-554: The NA48 experiment at CERN to separate a vacuum vessel from a vessel at nearly atmospheric pressure, both 192 cm (76 in) in diameter. The window has provided vacuum tightness combined with reasonably small amount of material (only 0.3% to 0.4% of radiation length ). Kevlar is a well-known component of personal armor such as combat helmets , ballistic face masks , and ballistic vests . The PASGT helmet and vest that were used by United States military forces used Kevlar as

5544-496: The Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft projects. Merger discussions began between British Aerospace and DASA in July 1998, just as French participation became more likely with the announcement that Aérospatiale was to merge with Matra and emerge with a diluted French government shareholding. A merger was agreed between British Aerospace chairman Richard Evans and DASA CEO Jürgen Schrempp . Meanwhile, GEC

5670-538: The TAI TF Kaan aircraft. On 10 October 2017, BAE announced that it would lay off nearly 2,000 out of its approximately 35,000 employees in Britain, mainly due to an order shortage for the Typhoon fighter. In 2019 BAE Systems sold a 55% share of its UK land business to Rheinmetall . The resultant joint venture (JV), Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), was established in July 2019 following regulatory approval and

5796-413: The 1980s to shift the burden of risk to the contractor and were in contrast to "cost plus contracts" where a contractor was paid for the value of its product plus an agreed profit. BAE Systems was operating in "the only truly open defence market", which meant it was competing with US and European companies for British defence projects, while they were protected in their home markets. The US defence market

5922-521: The British government declassified the HERTI (High Endurance Rapid Technology Insertion), an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which can navigate autonomously. It is currently developing a sixth-generation jet fighter aircraft for the RAF marketed as the " Tempest " along with the MoD, Rolls-Royce , Leonardo and MBDA. It is intended to enter service from 2035 replacing the Typhoon aircraft in service with

6048-572: The DASA merger in favour of purchasing its British rival. The merger of British Aerospace and MES was announced on 19 January 1999. Evans stated in 2004 that his fear was that an American defence contractor would acquire MES and challenge both British Aerospace and DASA. The merger created a vertically integrated company which The Scotsman described as "[a combination of British Aerospace's] contracting and platform-building skills with Marconi's coveted electronics systems capability", for example combining

6174-507: The ESAPI. They are mostly issued to personnel in higher threat environments like Iraq or Afghanistan. The plates are tan colored and the first batch was shipped in the second quarter of 2009, Ceradyne receiving a $ 77 million contract for delivery. Its threat level is presumably against the M993 7.62 NATO penetrator , as denoted by the back's marking. In the text "7.62mm AP/WC Protection" displayed on

6300-504: The IOTV, and were thus more suitable for patrol in Afghanistan . The Army plans to introduce the torso and extremity protection (TEP) system beginning in 2018, which includes a modular scalable vest, ballistic combat shirt, blast pelvic protection system, and battle belt to reduce overall weight from 26 to 21 lb (11.8 to 9.5 kg) while maintaining coverage by reducing excess bulk. The Modular Scalable Vest , first issued in 2018,

6426-502: The Marconi brand for its defence businesses (as GEC-Marconi and later Marconi Electronic Systems). GEC's own defence heritage dates back to World War I, when its contribution to the war effort included radios and bulbs. World War II consolidated this position, as the company was involved in important technological advances, notably the cavity magnetron for radar . Between 1945 and 1999, GEC-Marconi/Marconi Electronic Systems became one of

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6552-500: The MoD announced the award of a 20-year, £2.4 billion munitions contract to BAE. This will see BAE manufacture 39 different munitions for the UK armed forces and supersedes the 2008 MASS contract. In July 2023, BAE received a related £280 million order to address a munitions shortage caused by the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine , major arms manufacturers, including BAE Systems, reported

6678-472: The Polish-American chemist Stephanie Kwolek while working for DuPont, in anticipation of a gasoline shortage. In 1964, her group began searching for a new lightweight strong fiber to use for light, but strong, tires. The polymers she had been working with, poly-p-phenylene-terephthalate and polybenzamide, formed liquid crystals in solution, something unique to polymers at the time. The solution

6804-653: The RAF. BAE Systems Land and Armaments manufactures the M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicle family, the US Navy Advanced Gun System (AGS), M113 armoured personnel carrier (APC), M109 Paladin , Archer , M777 howitzer , the British Army's Challenger 2 , Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle , Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle , and the SA80 assault rifle . Major naval projects include

6930-674: The Spectra backing either stops the bullet, or, if the bullet was powerful enough, allows the bullet to pass through into the IOTV itself, and likely the wearer. Even in the event of the E-SAPI plate failing to prevent penetration, the velocity and energy of the penetrating round is often reduced to the point where the resulting wound is non lethal. E-SAPI plates are manufactured by Armorworks Enterprises, Ceradyne, Simula, and BAE Systems. Durability standards are high for E-SAPI plates, with Army requirements on environmental condition testing involving

7056-632: The UK Armed Forces' ammunition and required BAE to modernise its munitions manufacturing facilities. BAE Systems expanded its intelligence and security business with the £531 million purchase of Detica Group in July 2008. It continued this strategy with purchases of Danish cyber and intelligence company ETI for approximately $ 210 million in December 2010, and Norkom Group PLC the following month for €217 million. The latter provides counter fraud and anti-money laundering solutions to

7182-428: The UK and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on an arms package which saw a £1.6 billion contract awarded to BAE for the delivery of 55 Pilatus PC-21 and 22 BAE Systems Hawk aircraft. The Sultanate of Oman ordered Typhoon and Hawk aircraft worth £2.5 billion in December 2012. In September 2012, it was reported that BAE Systems and EADS had entered merger talks which would have seen BAE shareholders own 40% of

7308-499: The UK and the US. The F-35 (JSF) programme became the focus of this effort, with British government ministers such as Lord Drayson , Minister for Defence Procurement , suggesting the UK would withdraw from the project without the transfer of technology that would allow the UK to operate and maintain F-35s independently. On 12 December 2006, Lord Drayson signed an agreement which allows "an unbroken British chain of command" for operation of

7434-556: The United Kingdom and in the United States, where its BAE Systems Inc. subsidiary is one of the six largest suppliers to the US Department of Defense . Its next biggest markets are Saudi Arabia, then Australia; other major markets include Canada, Japan, India, Turkey, Qatar, Oman and Sweden. The company was formed on 30 November 1999 by the £ 7.7 billion purchase of and merger of Marconi Electronic Systems (MES),

7560-416: The aircraft. On 22 December 2006 BAE received a £947 million contract to provide guaranteed availability of Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornados. In May 2007 the company announced its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. was to purchase Armor Holdings for £2.3 billion (approx. US$ 4.5 billion c. 2007) and completed the deal on 31 July 2007. The company was a manufacturer of tactical wheeled vehicles and

7686-406: The arms and down the sides of the torso, is built into the IOTV. The IOTV provides the ability to don the vest in two ways. The first is to simply place the vest over the head and pull down, and the second is to remove fasteners on the wearer's left shoulder, sliding into the vest to the right. To complete the procedure for both methods the wearer then lifts up the front panel of the vest and fastens

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7812-625: The back of the plate, "WC" is the chemical formula for tungsten carbide , the penetrator material of the M993 projectile. The Improved Outer Tactical Vest as a whole is an improvement over previous US body armor systems, with the fragmentation vest from the Vietnam War being limited to fragmentation protection, the PASGT vest being limited to pistol rounds, and the previous Outer Tactical Vest being unable to stop armor piercing rounds. In response to

7938-400: The bow's user. To date, the only manufacturer of this type of bow is CodaBow . Kevlar is also presently used as a material for tailcords (a.k.a. tailpiece adjusters), which connect the tailpiece to the endpin of bowed string instruments. Kevlar is sometimes used as a material on marching snare drums. It allows for an extremely high amount of tension, resulting in a cleaner sound. There

8064-487: The cable from damage and kinking. When used in this application it is commonly known by the trademarked name Parafil. Kevlar was used by scientists at Georgia Institute of Technology as a base textile for an experiment in electricity-producing clothing. This was done by weaving zinc oxide nanowires into the fabric. If successful, the new fabric will generate about 80 milliwatts per square meter. A retractable roof of over 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m ) of Kevlar

8190-437: The carcinogenic properties associated with asbestos. Wicks for fire dancing props are made of composite materials with Kevlar in them. Kevlar by itself does not absorb fuel very well, so it is blended with other materials such as fiberglass or cotton . Kevlar's high heat resistance allows the wicks to be reused many times. Kevlar is sometimes used as a substitute for Teflon in some non-stick frying pans. Kevlar fiber

8316-571: The company announced the closure of the Avro Regional Jet ( Avro RJ ) production line at Woodford and the cancellation of the Avro RJX, an advanced series of the aircraft family, as the business was "no longer viable". The final Avro RJ to be completed became the last British civil airliner. In November 2001 BAE sold its 49.9% share of Thomson Marconi Sonar to Thales for £85 million. A further step of European defence consolidation

8442-453: The company proceed with the sale. Shareholders voted in favour and the sale was completed on 13 October. This saw the end of UK-owned involvement in civil airliner production. Airbus Operations Ltd (the former Airbus UK) continued to be the Airbus "Centre of Excellence" for wing production, employing over 9,500 in 2007. In February 2010 BAE Systems announced a £592 million writedown of

8568-619: The company's RO Defence unit to form BAE Systems Land Systems. Recognising the lack of scale of this business compared to General Dynamics, BAE Systems executives soon identified the US defence company United Defense Industries (UDI), a major competitor to General Dynamics, as a main acquisition target. On 7 March 2005 BAE announced the £2.25 billion (approx. US$ 4.2 billion c. 2005) acquisition of UDI. UDI, now BAE Systems Land and Armaments , manufactures combat vehicles, artillery systems, naval guns, missile launchers and precision guided munitions. In December 2005, BAE Systems announced

8694-450: The company's shares. BAE Systems' first annual report identified Airbus, support services to militaries and integrated systems for air, land and naval applications as key areas of growth. It also stated the company's desire to both expand in the US and participate in further consolidation in Europe. BAE Systems described 2001 as an "important year" for its European joint ventures, which were reorganised considerably. The company has described

8820-452: The contribution of Airbus UK. After its creation, BAE Systems had a difficult relationship with the MoD. This was attributed to deficient project management by the company, but also in part to the deficiencies in the terms of "fixed price contracts". CEO Mike Turner said in 2006 "We had entered into contracts under the old competition rules that frankly we shouldn't have taken". These competition rules were introduced by Lord Levene during

8946-514: The defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of the General Electric Company plc (GEC), with British Aerospace , an aircraft, munitions and naval systems manufacturer. BAE Systems is the successor to various aircraft, shipbuilding, armoured vehicle, armaments and defence electronics companies, including the Marconi Company , the first commercial company devoted to the development and use of radio; A.V. Roe and Company , one of

9072-410: The early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires. It is typically spun into ropes or fabric sheets that can be used as such, or as an ingredient in composite material components. Kevlar has many applications, ranging from bicycle tires and racing sails to bulletproof vests , all due to its high tensile strength-to-weight ratio ; by this measure it is five times stronger than steel. It

9198-467: The feedback of soldiers on the effectiveness of the armor system, the Army has continually upgraded the IOTV with new features, with Generation III involving a more intuitive quick release system. Rather than producing entirely new IOTV armor sets, body armor conversion kits have been delivered at a lower cost in order to bring older Generation armor sets up to newer standards. One criticism carried over from

9324-438: The field of cryogenics for its low thermal conductivity and high strength relative to other materials for suspension purposes. It is most often used to suspend a paramagnetic salt enclosure from a superconducting magnet mandrel in order to minimize any heat leaks to the paramagnetic material. It is also used as a thermal standoff or structural support where low heat leaks are desired. A thin Kevlar window has been used by

9450-527: The first time. It launched the Elite II Series, with enhancements to its earlier version of basketball shoes by using Kevlar in the anterior as well as the shoe laces . This was done to decrease the elasticity of the tip of the shoe in contrast to the nylon conventionally used, as Kevlar expanded by about 1% against nylon which expanded by about 30%. Shoes in this range included LeBron, HyperDunk and Zoom Kobe VII. However these shoes were launched at

9576-583: The folding bead is a reduction in shelf and floor space needed to display cycle tires in a retail environment, as they are folded and placed in small boxes. Kevlar has also been found to have useful acoustic properties for loudspeaker cones, specifically for bass and mid range drive units. Additionally, Kevlar has been used as a strength member in fiber optic cables such as the ones used for audio data transmissions. Kevlar can be used as an acoustic core on bows for string instruments . Kevlar's physical properties provide strength, flexibility, and stability for

9702-528: The former Armor Holdings business following the loss of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles contract in 2009. It was outbid by Oshkosh Corporation for the £2.3 billion ($ 3.7 billion) contract. Land and Armaments had been the "star performer" of BAE Systems' subsidiaries, growing from sales of £482 million in 2004 to £6.7 billion in 2009. BAE Systems inherited British Aerospace's 35% share of Saab AB , with which it produced and marketed

9828-400: The global financial services industry where its software assists institutions to comply with regulations on financial intelligence and monitoring. BAE Systems inherited British Aerospace's share of Airbus Industrie, which consisted of two factories at Broughton and Filton . These facilities manufactured wings for the Airbus family of aircraft. In 2001 Airbus was incorporated as Airbus SAS,

9954-562: The government announced that it had agreed to release BAE Systems from ten of the undertakings due to "a change in circumstances". BAE Systems inherited the UK government-owned "golden" share that was established when British Aerospace was privatised. This unique share prevents amendments of certain parts of the company's Articles of Association without the permission of the Secretary of State. These Articles require that no foreign person or persons acting together may hold more than 15% of

10080-411: The idea developed: "We folded it over a couple of times and shot at it. The bullets didn't go through." In tests, they strapped Kevlar onto anesthetized goats and shot at their hearts, spinal cords, livers and lungs. They monitored the goats' heart rate and blood gas levels to check for lung injuries. After 24 hours, one goat died and the others had wounds that were not life threatening. Shubin received

10206-418: The latter to Finmeccanica for €400 million (approx. £270 million c. 2007) in March 2007. In May 2004, it was reported that the company was considering selling its shipbuilding divisions, BAE Systems Naval Ships and BAE Systems Submarines . It was understood that General Dynamics wished to acquire the submarine building facilities at Barrow-in-Furness , while VT Group was said to be interested in

10332-513: The list of Top 100 suppliers to the MoD received contracts totalling £3.98 billion, with total revenue being higher when other subsidiary income is included. In comparison, the second largest supplier is Babcock International Group and its subsidiaries, with a revenue of £1.1 billion from the MoD. Oxford Economic Forecasting states that in 2002 the company's UK businesses employed 111,578 people, achieved export sales of £3 billion and paid £2.6 billion in taxes. These figures exclude

10458-669: The loss of 940 jobs, and a further 835 jobs would be lost at Filton, near Bristol, and at the shipyards in Govan, Rosyth, and Scotstoun in Scotland. On 9 October 2014, the company announced the loss of 440 management jobs across the country, with 286 of the job cuts in Lancashire. In July 2014 it announced the acquisition of US intelligence company Signal Innovations Group Inc. to augment imagery and data analysis technologies in its Intelligence & Security business. In August 2014, BAE

10584-554: The manufacturer of the Eurofighter with the company that provided many of the aircraft's electronic systems; British Aerospace was MES's largest customer. In contrast, DASA's response to the breakdown of the merger discussion was to merge with Aérospatiale to create the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company ( EADS ), a horizontal integration . Seventeen undertakings were given by BAE Systems to

10710-539: The military made public testing that showed widespread failures in the testing of the Dragon Skin armor. Ultimately, Dragon Skin never saw widespread adoption, and many of the perceived shortfalls of the Outer Tactical Vest such as standard of protection or modularity were addressed in the new Improved Outer Tactical Vest and E-SAPI plates. A size Medium IOTV weighs 3.6 pounds (1.6 kg), less than

10836-486: The more expensive hemp . It is one of the main materials used for paraglider suspension lines. It is used as an inner lining for some bicycle tires to prevent punctures. In table tennis , plies of Kevlar are added to custom ply blades, or paddles, in order to increase bounce and reduce weight. Tennis racquets are sometimes strung with Kevlar. It is used in sails for high performance racing boats. In 2013, with advancements in technology, Nike used Kevlar in shoes for

10962-529: The most famous British aircraft, defence electronics and warship manufacturers. Predecessor companies built the Comet , the world's first commercial jet airliner; the Harrier "jump jet", the world's first operational vertical/short take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft; the "groundbreaking" Blue Vixen radar carried by Sea Harrier FA2s and which formed the basis of the Eurofighter's CAPTOR radar; and co-produced

11088-527: The older SAPI plates (NIJ standard III). Use of the new E-SAPI plates increase protection to armor-piercing versions of the aforementioned rounds in addition to . 30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing rounds (NIJ standard IV). The IOTV provides, without the ballistic ceramic plates inserted, protection from small caliber rounds (i.e. 9mm ) and fragmentation. The soft kevlar panels have been tested to stop 9 mm 124 grain full metal jacket bullets at 1,400 ft/s (426 m/s) with minimal deformation and has

11214-589: The older Fighting Load Carrier vest (FLC), have been in all IOTV models since the Gen II, which was introduced in the early 2010s. In response to the large numbers of female soldiers in the army, a female-specific version of the IOTV (F-IOTV) was developed. Previously, standard tactical vests were issued to women in combat. Army soldiers found that women's movement was restricted, in ways such as bending over, getting in and out of tight spaces, or positioning their rifles against their shoulders. The long armor plates inside

11340-527: The older OTV to the newer IOTV is what is regarded as the excessive weight of the armor, especially by dismounted infantrymen who regard the armor almost as a liability. In response to this, the U.S. Army is looking into supplementing the heavy IOTV with the newer Modular Body Armor Vest (MBAV) and Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) already in service in Ranger and Airborne units. The MBAV and SPCS do provide less soft body armor coverage, but are lighter than

11466-444: The other major European aerospace company, but only after its privatisation. The first stage of this integration was seen as the transformation of Airbus from a consortium of British Aerospace, DASA, Aérospatiale and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA into an integrated company; with this aim British Aerospace and DASA were united against the various objections of Aérospatiale. As well as Airbus, British Aerospace and DASA were partners in

11592-668: The partnership was to learn about the high speed build and operations processes of McLaren. The company announced the acquisition of Tenix Defence , a major Australian defence contractor in January 2008. The purchase was completed on 27 June for A$ 775 million (£373 million) making BAE Systems Australia that country's largest defence contractor. The MoD awarded BAE Systems a 15-year munitions contract in August 2008 worth up to £3 billion, known as Munition Acquisition Supply Solution (MASS). The contract guaranteed supply of 80% of

11718-414: The plate is a layer of Spectra, a woven polymer material with extremely high tensile strength meant to stop any projectile that manages to pass through the ceramic strikeface. When a bullet strikes the E-SAPI plate, the kinetic energy is dispersed throughout the ceramic layer, and the majority of military rounds in common use are stopped or broken up. If the bullet continues through the boron carbide layer,

11844-470: The plates being kept 6 hours at both a high temperature and a low temperature in addition to being dropped twice among a variety of other requirements. USSOCOM requirements are even more stringent, involving 24 hours at high and low temperatures. While E-SAPI plates do hold significant defensive advantages over the preceding SAPI plates, the increased protection comes at the cost of increased weight and significantly increased cost. Comparing medium-sized plates,

11970-473: The polymer chains in the fiber's direction. Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) was the solvent initially used for the polymerization , but for safety reasons, DuPont replaced it by a solution of N -methyl-pyrrolidone and calcium chloride. As this process had been patented by Akzo (see above) in the production of Twaron , a patent war ensued. Kevlar production is expensive because of the difficulties arising from using concentrated sulfuric acid , needed to keep

12096-547: The properties of other synthetic polymers and fibers such as ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene . The presence of salts and certain other impurities, especially calcium , could interfere with the strand interactions and care is taken to avoid inclusion in its production. Kevlar's structure consists of relatively rigid molecules which tend to form mostly planar sheet-like structures rather like silk protein. Kevlar maintains its strength and resilience down to cryogenic temperatures (−196 °C (−320.8 °F)): in fact, it

12222-516: The protection against projectiles when carried in an Improved Outer Tactical Vest, and are also used as part of many other body armors such as the Modular Tactical Vest . E-SAPI plates are designed to cover the vital front and back torso areas of the torso, while E-SBI plates are designed to protect the sides of the torso. The plate component itself is made of boron carbide, a widely used and extremely hard boron-carbon ceramic. Backing

12348-541: The publication of the DIS BAE Systems CEO Mike Turner said "If we didn't have the DIS and our profitability and the terms of trade had stayed as they were... then there had to be a question mark about our future in the UK". Lord Levene said in the balance between value for money or maintaining a viable industrial base the DIS "tries as well as it can to steer a middle course and to achieve as much as it can in both directions. ...We will never have

12474-559: The purchase of the marine support company Atlantic Marine for $ 352 million. In September 2010 BAE Systems announced plans to sell the Platform Solutions division of BAE Systems Inc., which the Financial Times estimated could yield as much as £1.3 billion. Despite "considerable expressions of interest", the sale was abandoned in January 2011. The purchases of Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers ,

12600-578: The rationale for expansion in the US; "[it] is by far the largest defence market with spend running close to twice that of the Western European nations combined. Importantly, US investment in research and development is significantly higher than in Western Europe." When Dick Olver was appointed chairman in July 2004 he ordered a review of the company's businesses which ruled out further European acquisitions or joint ventures and confirmed

12726-519: The remaining yards on the Clyde . Instead, in 2008 BAE Systems merged its Surface Fleet arm with the shipbuilding operations of VT Group to form BVT Surface Fleet , an aim central to the British Government's Defence Industrial Strategy . On 4 June 2004, BAE Systems outbid General Dynamics for Alvis Vickers , the UK's main manufacturer of armoured vehicles. Alvis Vickers was merged with

12852-615: The resulting organisation. On 10 October 2012, the companies said the merger talks had been called off. The Guardian reported that this was due to the German Government's concern about the "potential size of the French shareholding in the combined company, as well as disagreements over the location of the group's headquarters". In November 2013, BAE Systems announced that shipbuilding would cease in Portsmouth in 2014 with

12978-493: The sale of its German naval systems subsidiary, Atlas Elektronik, to ThyssenKrupp and EADS. The Financial Times described the sale as "cut price" because French company Thales bid €300 million, but was blocked from purchasing Atlas by the German government on national security grounds. On 31 January 2006 the company announced the sale of BAE Systems Aerostructures to Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. , having said as early as 2002 that it wished to dispose of what it did not regard as

13104-515: The slow pace of informal negotiations, BAE Systems exercised its put option which saw investment bank Rothschild appointed to give an independent valuation. Six days after this process began, Airbus announced delays to the A380 with significant effects on the value of Airbus shares. On 2 June 2006 Rothschild valued the company's share at £1.87 billion, well below its own analysts' and even EADS's expectations. The BAE Systems board recommended that

13230-466: The sport of fencing it is used in the protective jackets, breeches, plastrons and the bib of the masks. It is increasingly being used in the peto , the padded covering which protects the picadors ' horses in the bullring. Speed skaters also frequently wear an under-layer of Kevlar fabric to prevent potential wounds from skates in the event of a fall or collision. In kyudo , or Japanese archery , it may be used for bow strings , as an alternative to

13356-556: The standard body armor type used by regular U.S. Army ground combat units overseas, although the new Modular Scalable Vest is set to replace it in the coming years. While the Interceptor Body Armor and the Outer Tactical Vest were considered fairly effective, questions were raised over whether or not they were the best possible armor solution for soldiers of the United States Military. This debate

13482-399: The support and engineering activities of the business. In September 2011, BAE Systems began consultation with unions and workers over plans to cut nearly 3,000 jobs, mostly in the company's military aircraft division. In its 2012 half-year report, the company revealed a 10% decline in revenue in the six months up to 30 June due to falling demand for armaments. In May 2012 the governments of

13608-449: The two companies. However the difficulties of integrating the companies in this way led to a re-evaluation of the proposal; BAE Systems' 2004 Annual Report states that "recognising the complexity of the earlier proposed Eurosystems transaction with Finmeccanica we have moved to a simpler model". The main part of this deal was the dissolution of AMS and the establishment of SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems ; BAE Systems sold its 25% share of

13734-414: The vest allows greater tactical flexibility in regards to different situations faced by ground troops. A US Army medical research report concluded that greater modular design leads to the ability to find a more effective balance between projectile protection and the physical endurance of the soldier, preventing losses in agility and mobility, and therefore reducing potential injuries or casualties. Initially,

13860-620: The vest came in the Universal Camouflauge Pattern (UCP), and IOTVs with it were standard issue until the UCP pattern began to be replaced beginning in 2016, with the Operational Camouflauge Pattern (OCP). E-SAPI (Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert) plates and their smaller counterparts E-SBI (Enhanced Side Ballistic Inserts) plates, are ceramic ballistic plates that provide the bulk of

13986-456: The vests would also rub against their hips and cut into their thighs when they sat down. Development of a model for women began in 2009. After much testing and measurements, the Army came up with a vest that is shorter to accommodate smaller torsos and has tailoring to fit closer to women's chests. The new vest eliminates gaps between the material and the body and can be fitted with smaller side ballistic inserts for small waist sizes. The vest has

14112-490: The waistband, which takes the weight of the vest off the shoulders somewhat, and then fastens the side protection modules. A key design feature for the IOTV is that the entire armor system is able to be released with the pull of a hidden lanyard. The armor then falls apart into its component pieces, providing a means for escape in case the wearer falls into water or becomes trapped in a hazardous environment. The hidden release lanyard also allows medical personnel easier access to

14238-425: The water-insoluble polymer in solution during its synthesis and spinning . Several grades of Kevlar are available: The ultraviolet component of sunlight degrades and decomposes Kevlar, a problem known as UV degradation , and so it is rarely used outdoors without protection against sunlight. When Kevlar is spun , the resulting fiber has a tensile strength of about 3,620 MPa (525,000 psi) , and

14364-492: The way nature constructs cane reed. Very stiff but sound absorbing Kevlar fibers are suspended in a lightweight resin formulation. Kevlar is sometimes used in structural components of cars, especially high-value performance cars such as the Ferrari F40 . The chopped fiber has been used as a replacement for asbestos in brake pads . Aramids such as Kevlar release less airborne fibres than asbestos brakes and do not have

14490-526: The world's first battlecruiser ; and Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering , builder of the Royal Navy's first submarines . Since its 1999 formation, BAE Systems has made a number of acquisitions, most notably of United Defense and Armor Holdings of the United States, and has sold its shares in Airbus , Astrium , AMS and Atlas Elektronik . It is involved in several major defence projects, including

14616-597: The world's first aircraft companies; de Havilland , manufacturer of the Comet , the world's first commercial jet airliner; Hawker Siddeley , manufacturer of the Harrier , the world's first VTOL attack aircraft; British Aircraft Corporation , co-manufacturer of the Concorde supersonic transport; Supermarine , manufacturer of the Spitfire ; Yarrow Shipbuilders , builder of the Royal Navy 's first destroyers ; Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , builder of

14742-436: The world's most important defence contractors . GEC's major defence related acquisitions included Associated Electrical Industries in 1967, Yarrow Shipbuilders in 1985, Plessey companies in 1989, parts of Ferranti 's defence business in 1990, the rump of Ferranti when it went into receivership in 1993/1994, Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in 1995 and Kværner Govan in 1999. In June 1998, MES acquired Tracor ,

14868-438: Was "cloudy, opalescent upon being stirred, and of low viscosity " and usually was thrown away. However, Kwolek persuaded the technician, Charles Smullen, who ran the spinneret , to test her solution, and was amazed to find that the fiber did not break, unlike nylon . Her supervisor and her laboratory director understood the significance of her discovery and a new field of polymer chemistry quickly arose. By 1971, modern Kevlar

14994-481: Was a key part of the design of the Olympic Stadium, Montreal for the 1976 Summer Olympics . It was spectacularly unsuccessful, as it was completed 10 years late and replaced just 10 years later in May 1998 after a series of problems. Kevlar can be found as a reinforcing layer in rubber bellows expansion joints and rubber hoses , for use in high temperature applications, and for its high strength. It

15120-491: Was also under pressure to participate in defence industry consolidation. Reporting the appointment of George Simpson as GEC managing director in 1996, The Independent said "some analysts believe that Mr Simpson's inside knowledge of BAe, a long-rumoured GEC bid target, was a key to his appointment. GEC favours forging a national 'champion' defence group with BAe to compete with the giant US organisations." When GEC put MES up for sale on 22 December 1998, British Aerospace abandoned

15246-642: Was awarded a £248 million contract from the British government to build three new offshore patrol vessels . In October 2014, BAE Systems won a £600 million contract from the MoD to maintain Portsmouth naval base for five years. During 2014 BAE Systems acquired US-based cybersecurity firm Silversky for $ 232.5 million. During Prime Minister Theresa May 's visit to Turkey in January 2017, BAE and TAI officials signed an agreement, worth about £100 million, for BAE to provide assistance in developing

15372-501: Was expected to cover "all the costs of completion of the current contract". The troubled Nimrod project would ultimately be cancelled as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The UK government, following a cabinet row described as "one of the most bitter Cabinet disputes over defence contracts since the Westland helicopter affair in 1985", ordered 20 BAE Hawk trainer aircraft with 24 options in July 2003 in

15498-402: Was heightened by controversy over Dragon Skin , produced by the now defunct Pinnacle Armor . Various claims surfaced that Dragon Skin was more effective at protecting soldiers than the then standard issue Interceptor Body Armor system, with independent studies and reports seeming to back these claims, eventually leading to multiple congressional members asking for further evaluation. In response,

15624-473: Was in takeover discussions with TRW , an American aerospace, automotive and defence business. This was prompted by Northrop Grumman 's £4.1 billion (approx. US$ 6 billion c. 2002) hostile bid for TRW in February 2002. A bidding war between BAE Systems, Northrop and General Dynamics ended on 1 June when Northrop's increased bid of £5.1 billion was accepted. On 11 December 2002, BAE Systems issued

15750-583: Was introduced. However, Kwolek was not very involved in developing the applications of Kevlar. In 1971, Lester Shubin , who was then the Director of Science and Technology for the National Institute for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, suggested using Kevlar to replace nylon in bullet-proof vests. Prior to the introduction of Kevlar, flak jackets made of nylon had provided much more limited protection to users. Shubin later recalled how

15876-405: Was the merger of BAE's share of Matra BAe Dynamics and the missile division of Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) into MBDA in December. MBDA thus became the world's second largest missile manufacturer. Although EADS (now Airbus SE ) was later reported to be interested in acquiring full control of MBDA, BAE said that, unlike Airbus, MBDA is a "core business". In June 2002, BAE Systems confirmed it

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