Anglo-French systems integrator Sema Group Plc and British Aerospace Plc have landed a contract with the South Korean Navy for command and control systems in its new destroyers, thanks to their similar command and control systems contract with the British Royal Navy. In the first phase 20 destroyers will be built. The contract is expected to last four years and is valued at #36m. Over the projected 10-year life of the program, the contract is expected to bring in #200m. BAeSema Ltd, the companies’ joint venture, is the principal contractor for the system that comprises 200 Intel Corp 80486s, Transputers, a graphic display from Racal Radar Defence Systems Ltd; a fire control system from Thomson-CSF SA’s Dutch subsidiary Signaal; and workstations from Ultra Electronics Ltd. The main reason for the triumph was the Royal Navy system. The Koreans wanted a system that was in service or about to go into service, which the competitors did not have. The other reason was possibly political, in that the UK and the US supported Korea during their war, said Tidu Maini, group marketing director. BAeSema won the contract over German contractor Atlas Elektronik GmbH. We will be doing about another 40% of coding for the Korean system. The major change is that we have to integrate a fire control system, which was done in a separate contract in England, and that the radar and weapons systems are different from those in England, Maini commented.
