BAE Systems wins aerial target follow-on contract

BAE Systems North America Inc. has won a $17 million follow-on contract from the Air Force for the QF-4 full-scale aerial target, the company announced today. If all options are exercised, the contract has a potential value of $230 million over ten years.

Under the contract, BAE Systems Flight Systems of Mojave, Calif., will convert at least 13 F-4E aircraft into QF-4 full-scale aerial targets.

The QF-4 full-scale aerial targets are used for weapon system developmental, initial and operational testing and evaluation by the United States and its allies.

The aircraft are modified by integrating components that allow the system to perform unmanned maneuvers at Eglin Gulf Range and White Sands Missile Range at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., respectively.

Work on the contract will be performed in Mojave and will be completed in 2006. This is the third contract awarded to BAE Systems to produce and deliver full-scale aerial targets to the Air Force since 1992.

BAE Systems Flight Systems is a unit of BAE Systems North America Inc. The company has about 25,000 employees and annual sales of $4.4 billion. The company ranked No. 12 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list, which measures federal contracting revenue.