£10m defence contract for Basildon-based Selex Galileo (From Southend Standard)

£10m defence contract for Basildon-based Selex Galileo

8:42am Thursday 31st May 2012 in Echo News

A BASILDON-based defence company has been awarded a multi-million pound contract by the Ministry of Defence.

Selex Galileo, in Christopher Martin Road, has secured a £10.8million deal to build 20 turrets that will be fitted to Britain’s Chinook helicopters.

The Titan 385ES-HD electro-optic turrets give aircrews high-resolution night vision capabilities, to allow them to operate safely and effectively 24 hours a day in all weather conditions.

They will be fitted to the current helicopter fleet and the new Mk 6 Chinooks, due to enter service in 2016.

Mark Byfield, vice president in marketing and sales at Selex, said: “The feedback on Titan 385ES-HD from the users has been very positive and we are delighted to be awarded this follow-on order to equip further aircraft in the UK Chinook fleet.

“At Selex Galileo we are proud to be able to provide the best possible capabilities to UK armed services on their demanding operational missions.”

The turrets contain a high-definition infrared camera which is mounted underneath the helicopters.

It will allow crews to see in the dark and detect infrared radiation generated by heat, rather than detecting light like a standard camera.

The turrets will be delivered throughout 2012 and 2013 and be built by exisiting staff at the factory.

A spokesman for the firm said: “The deal is important as it demonstrates how satisfied the UK MoD has been with its existing Titan turrets and the trust it places in Selex Galileo to deliver a quality product, on time, to help boost the capabilities of our troops on operations.”

Chinnock helicopters, distinctive for their twin rotor-blades, have been widely used by the RAF in the Falklands war, peace-keeping commitments in the Balkans, as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.