11 Sep 2007 | Ref. 279/2007
Farnborough, UK - BAE Systems is using its expertise in the area of autonomy to support a team led by MIRA in a UK MoD competition to encourage innovation which benefits the front line.
The MoD Grand Challenge has been devised to harness innovation in the UK defence industrial base to address the challenges facing the modern military. Particular focus has been placed on the autonomous identification, monitoring and reporting of military threats in an urban environment and
"We have been examining autonomy across air, land and sea for a number of years and this research has resulted in some incredible technology," said James Baker, technology & engineering services director at BAE Systems. "We currently work with MIRA, using their facilities to test our autonomous Wildcat vehicle, supporting their entry in the Grand Challenge seemed a natural progression."
Under the rules of the challenge participating vehicles must autonomously identify four distinct targets – a sniper, an improvised explosive device, a vehicle and a troop of potential enemies – at the MOD's Copehill Down village in Wiltshire. MIRA's team approach is to use an unmanned ground vehicle incorporating technologies and knowledge from MIRA, ERA, BAE Systems, Warwick University and Guilford High School.
"Having worked so closely with BAE Systems we have seen what their technology can do and felt its inclusion would enhance our entry in the Challenge," said Chris Mellors from MIRA. "We are also very fortunate to be one of the six teams awarded funding to develop our entry further."
The Grand Challenge is due to take place in the summer of 2008 and will involve participants ranging from large defence firms, to small-medium sized enterprises and universities.
"It is encouraging to see so many contributors to the SEAS DTC supporting the Grand Challenge," says Simon Jewell, Chairman of the Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems Defence Technology Centre. "This demonstrates the high standard of innovation in the field of autonomy at all levels of British industry and will certainly make for an interesting competition."
About BAE Systems:
BAE Systems is the premier global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 96,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £15 billion (US $27 billion) in 2006*.
*On a pro forma basis, assuming BAE Systems had owned Armor Holdings Inc, for the whole of 2006
About MIRA:
MIRA Ltd is an engineering centre of excellence, recognised as the UK's leading independent product engineering and test services organisation. MIRA operates around the world and across the whole range of automotive technologies. MIRA's customer base and membership is truly global, encompassing the major vehicle makers, component suppliers and other independent consultancies throughout most of the vehicle-producing world.
About the SEAS DTC
The Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems (SEAS) Defence Technology Centre (DTC), is the fourth DTC to be established by the UK Ministry of Defence. It is operated by a UK industrial consortium and aims to research innovative technologies relevant to autonomous systems, at both whole-system and sub-system level and, through the adoption of Systems Engineering approaches, to facilitate pull-through of the technology into military capabilities.
For further information, please contact:
Barney O'Kelly, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384717 Mob: + 44 (0)7803 667434
barney.okelly@baesystems.com
Richard Adams, MIRA
Tel: +44 (0)24 76355366 Mob: +44 (0)77 95494775
richard.adams@mira.co.uk
Mike Sweeney, BAE Systems
Tel: + 44 (0)1252 383074 Mobile: + 44 (0)7801 716452
mike.sweeney2@baesystems.com
Issued by:
BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384605 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
24hr media hotline: + 44 (0) 7801 717739
Supporting images available via our online newsroom at www.baesystems.com
