Memorandum from Angela Smith MP, Department
for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (NI)
Ian Rogers, Audit Adviser to the Defence Committee,
wrote to Leslie Morrison, Chief Executive of Invest Northern Ireland
on 25 January 2006 asking him to provide a Northern Ireland perspective
on the Defence Industrial Strategy as part of the ongoing review.
I am replying to this request as Minister with responsibility
for Enterprise Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland's prime Ministry of Defence
contractors at present are Thales Air Defence Ltd (TADL) and Raytheon
Systems Ltd. TADL employs some 560 people in Belfast. The company
is a recognised prime contractor with the Ministry of Defence
for High Velocity Missiles and has a niche capability in Short
Range Air Defence as well as Electro Optic Counter Measures.
TADL represents some of Northern Ireland's most
advanced capabilities in this very specialised area of precision
engineering design, development, testing and manufacturing. Some
40% of TADL's workforce is engaged in Design Engineering and the
company is a very significant investor in R&D.
I know that TADL continues to maintain a close
relationship with the Ministry of Defence and I understand that
the company's core capabilities were evaluated during the formation
of the White Paper.
I do wish to take this opportunity to emphasise
the importance of this company, not only as a significant employer
in Northern Ireland and a major contributor to economic development,
particular in terms of export sales, but also to the vital role
that it has played in the past as a provider of some of the UK's
most sophisticated and effective short range defence weaponry.
I know that the company is already engaged in the development
of the next generation of sophisticated defence systems as a partner
with the Ministry of Defence.
Raytheon is a smaller company, based in Londonderry,
with 60 employees. A subsidiary of the US Raytheon Corporation,
the Northern Ireland operation is involved in leading-edge work
in phased array radar systems and the development of leading-edge
software for civil and military air traffic control systems. The
company has participated in major MoD contracts, including the
ASTOR and JETTS programmes. Raytheon is a valued Invest NI client
which is providing valuable, high-quality employment in a disadvantaged
area of Northern Ireland.
I would be grateful if the Committee's attention
could be drawn to both TADL's and Raytheon's excellent track records
as prime contractors with the Ministry of Defence and their clear
commitment to playing major roles in the future development of
the UK's defence systems.
27 February 2006
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