BAE Systems Land & Armaments was created on June 24 2005, following the completition of BAE Systems' acquisition of United Defense and its merger with BAE Systems Land Systems. The L&A group is a subsidiary of BAE Systems Inc. and is responsible for the design, development and production of combat vehicles, ammunition, artillery systems, naval guns and missile launchers.

BAE Systems' 2005 Annual Report stated that the L&A group had sales of £1,266 million and EBITA of £42 million. This compares to sales of £482 million in 2004. BAE Systems plc (2006). "Annual Report 2005". Retrieved June 22, 2006.

History

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Until 2004 BAE Systems was a relatively small player in the land systems industry, however following the 2004 purchase of Alvis Vickers and the 2005 acquisition of United Defense it is now the second largest after General Dynamics.

BAE Systems was formed in 1999 by the merger of British Aerospace (BAe) and Marconi Electronic Systems (MES). BAe's land systems business was RO Defence, a major manufacturer of explosives, ammunition and small arms. MES owned Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, manufacturer of the M777 howitzer.

On June 4, 2004 BAE Systems outbid General Dynamics for Alvis Vickers, the UK's principal land systems business. What had seemed a certain win for the US company was stopped by BAE Systems' surprise move. It has been seen as an attempt to keep such a strong competitor at bay in BAE Systems' "backyard." On March 7 2005 BAE Systems announced the $3,974,000,000 acquisition of United Defense Industries (UDI). UDI, a major competitor to General Dynamics, was primarily a land systems manufacturer, boosting BAE Systems' involvement in this sector and its sales in the important North American market. UDI manufactured combat vehicles, artillery systems, naval guns, missile launchers and precision guided munitions.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments was formed in June 2005 in a reorganisation which saw BAE businesses in the United States placed into three "operating groups":

• Land and Armaments
• BAE Systems Electronics & Integrated Solutions
• BAE Systems Customer Solutions

Land and Armaments, headquartered in the United States as part of BAE Systems Inc, took control of BAE's existing land systems businesses.

Organisation & product range

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BAE Systems Armaments Systems Division

• Advanced Gun System (AGS) — for next generation United States Navy surface combatants
• Guided Missile Launching Systems
• Mark 45 5 inch/54 caliber and 62 caliber lightweight naval gun
• Mk41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) (components and launch canisters)
• Mk 38 25-mm machine gun
• Mark 36 SRBOC (Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures) chaff and decoy launchers
• Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes (SVTT)
• Mk 3 naval guns (40 and 57 mm)
• Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C)
• Pump-jet propulsor for Virginia class submarines.

BAE Systems Ground Systems Division

• Future Combat Systems
• Bradley Family of Infantry fighting vehicles
• M88 tank recovery vehicle
• M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES)
• M109 Paladin, 155 mm self propelled howitzer
• Amphibious Assault Vehicle — Reliability, Availability and Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard (RAM/RS) project
• M9 Armored Combat Earthmover
• M113 family — includes armored personnel carriers, medical, command and control, engineering and mortar carriers.

BAE Systems Steel Products Division

The company’s Steel Products Division is the world’s largest producer of tracks for combat vehicles. Other products include suspension components and components for mining, transportation and oil industries. The Vehicle Upgrade Facility, which opened in 1994, is a major overhaul and conversion facility. This division operates the only facility which can perform full maintenance and conversion of the M113 family which makes up almost half of the U.S. armoured vehicle fleet. The Vehicle Upgrade Facility also includes the Spare Parts facility which is located on a 23-acre site.

BAE Systems Bofors

• 155 mm L52 automatic howitzer
• CV90 combat vehicles
• Excalibur — GPS guided 155-mm artillery projectile
• BONUS — spin-stabilized artillery shell
• Training

BAE Systems Land Systems

BAE Systems Land Systems was created in September 2004 when BAE merged the newly acquired Alvis Vickers business with RO Defence to create an integrated land warfare systems business.

BAE Systems Land Systems Weapons & Vehicles

• Challenger 2 main battle tank
• Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
• Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) (obstabcle & mine clearance)
• Titan armoured vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB)
• M777 Ultra lightweight Field Howitzer (UFH),
• Terrier combat engineer vehicle
• Piranha — Licensed production of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems (ELCS) Piranha III/LAVIII wheeled armoured vehicles.
• Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle (CLV)
• Tactica Internal security vehicle
• 105 mm Light Gun

BAE Systems Land Systems Hagglunds

• CV90 combat vehicles
• BV206S articulated all-terrain vehicle (ATV)
• BVS10 ATV
• SEP Modular Armoured Tactical System

BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa

• Main battle tanks
• Wheeled Armoured Vehicles
• Light armoured vehicles
• Police and security vehicles
• Transmissions, drivelines and related components

  Land Systems Munitions & Ordnance

  • Land and naval gun ammunition
  • Mortar ammunition
  • Tank ammunition
  • Small arms ammunition
  • Explosives
  • Initiators and pyrotechnics
  • Warheads
  • BROACH warhead (in partnership with Thales and QinetiQ)

  Management

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  Tom Rabaut was named President of BAE Systems Land and Armaments, he was previously Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of United Defense since January 28, 1994.

  References

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  • BAE Systems Inc. Business Sectors: Land & Armaments (Retrieved Jan. 13, 2005)
  • BAE Systems Land and Armaments Products listed by division (Retrieved Jan. 13, 2005)

  BAE Systems | Defense companies of the United States | Manufacturing companies