BERLIN, May 10, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Galileo Avionica and Northrop Grumman ISS International, Inc., the three major defence companies forming the Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) team, met with the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) Industrial Working Group in Berlin on Tuesday during ILA '02 to discuss details of the TIPS approach presented to NATO last month. The proposal is in the form of a white paper outlining an industrial initiative for a NATO minimum essential core capability.
One of the key objectives of the TIPS initiative is to provide opportunities for high-technology workshare opportunities for the companies of participating NATO nations. The meeting included executives of leading industries from NATO members. "This meeting emphasizes the TIPS team commitment to the 19-nation industrial participation plan envisioned in our approach," said a TIPS team executive. "ILA has been a good forum for discussion and the response to TIPS has been both supportive and very encouraging."
The program envisioned by the team presents a technically viable and affordable solution for the NATO AGS requirement and satisfies the North Atlantic Council mandate for a maximum essential NATO core capability by the year 2010. In addition to providing a foundation for consensus, TIPS offers synergistic opportunities for reuse of technologies developed for the NATO core capability among national programs.
With revenues amounting to EUR 30.8 billion (2001) and 103,000 employees, EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company is the largest aerospace and defence company in Europe and number two worldwide. EADS business comprises a wide experience on system integration for Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, general command, control and communications, commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, commercial launch vehicles, missile systems as well as satellites.
Galileo Avionica embodies the avionics and airborne radar capabilities of Finmeccanica, Italy's largest high technologies company and national defence leader. Galileo Avionica offers systems integration capabilities and know-how, accumulated since the sixties through a process of rationalization and merging of Italian avionics systems and equipment companies.
Northrop Grumman ISS International, Inc., is a Northrop Grumman Corporation company. Northrop Grumman Corporation is an $18 billion, global defense company with its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in defense and commercial electronics, systems integration, information technology and nuclear and non-nuclear shipbuilding and systems. With nearly 100,000 employees and operations in 44 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.