Cobham Wins AUD$18 Million Contract

07 June 2012

Cobham Wins AUD$18 Million Contract from Minara Resources For Aviation Services

PERTH, Australia - Cobham has extended its Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) service contract with Minara Resources to the end of 2015, transporting workers to the remote nickel mine at Murrin Murrin, 900km northeast of Perth. The two-and-a-half year contract extension is worth AUD$18 million and builds on one of Western Australia's longest FIFO relationships, with Cobham's operations commencing in 2001. Minara Resources is one of Australia's top three nickel producers.

Peter Nottage, vice president of Cobham Aviation Services said:

"This is an extension of one of Cobham's foundation FIFO routes in Australia, strengthening our 12-year relationship with Minara Resources and its nickel operation in Western Australia. We are continuing to develop the services we offer to successful companies operating in Australia's growing mining and energy sectors."

The contract extension will see the continued operation of the 81-seat BAe146-200 jets flying approximately 1,000 staff to and from Murrin Murrin. The aircraft is well suited to the harsh conditions of the Australian outback due to its rugged construction and high wing, four engine design.

Cobham has a fleet of 20 aircraft made up of BAe146 and Avro RJ100 passenger jets and Dehaviland Dash 8 turboprop aircraft. Cobham is Australia's largest contract aviation company with a fleet of 48 aircraft used across maritime surveillance, FIFO, freight and airline services.

About Cobham

Cobham specialises in meeting the demand for data, connectivity and bandwidth in defence, security and commercial environments. Offering a technically diverse and innovative range of technologies and services, the Group protects lives and livelihoods, responding to customer needs with agility that differentiates it. The most important thing we build is trust. Employing more than 11,000 people on five continents, the Group has customers and partners in over 100 countries.

About Cobham Aviation Services

Cobham Aviation Services provides specialist aviation solutions to Defence, Government and major commercial customers under long term performance based contracts. This includes modern battle space air warfare training for the UK armed forces and NATO, operating the largest border protection civil maritime surveillance contract in the world for the Australian Government, supporting Qantas and numerous major resource industry clients across Australia, providing a wide range of civil and military platforms with modification and through life support, including the Sentry E3-D fleet and the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft fleet of A330 aircraft for the UK MOD, providing air traffic control radar display software and aid calibration services to leading UK and European airports and with partner Bristow Helicopters training all helicopter pilots for the UK's Navy, Air Force and Army through entity FBHeliservices. With a combined fleet of over 150 fixed and rotary wing aircraft, Cobham Aviation Services is a trusted partner worldwide.

- ends -