7th Dec 2005 07:00
Cobham PLC07 December 2005 7 December 2005 COBHAM NAMED PREFERRED BIDDER FOR AUSTRALIAN A$1BN COASTWATCH CONTRACT Cobham plc (Cobham) is delighted to announce that National Air Support company,Surveillance Australia Pty Ltd, part of Cobham's Services Division, has beennamed preferred bidder for the twelve year A$1bn Australian Coastwatch contract.Cobham is the current provider of aerial Civil Maritime Surveillance services to the Australian Customs Service, which is the largest programme of its type in the world. Under the new contract Cobham will provide, operate and maintain an updatedfleet of ten Dash 8 aircraft through to the year 2020, starting in January 2008.If successful in being awarded the contract, it will be Cobham's biggest eversingle order and is a major milestone in an exacting three year tender process. The new service based on Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, will double the fleet offully electronic surveillance aircraft available under the existing contractfrom five to ten. The aircraft will provide all-weather, day and nightelectronic surveillance of Australia's maritime Exclusive Economic Zone todetect and deter illegal activity such as drug and people smuggling, illegalfishing and environmental offences. Allan Cook, Cobham Chief Executive, said:"We are delighted that Surveillance Australia has been selected as preferredprovider to meet the Australian government's future surveillance needs. This has the potential to be an extremely prestigious contract that would underlineCobham's surveillance expertise in an increasingly demanding network-centricenvironment. This is a major milestone in the programme and we are workingclosely with the Australian Customs Service to finalise a contract which willoperate until 2020." ENQUIRIESCobham plc Tel: +44 (0)1202 882020Allan Cook, Chief ExecutiveWarren Tucker, Group Financial Director Weber Shandwick Square Mile Tel: +44 (0)20 7067 0746Susan Ellis, ChairmanHelen Thomas This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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