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2021-02-01
BAE Systems Appoints New Country Director for UAE
Jonathan Bird has been appointed as BAE Systems’ new Country Director for the UAE, based in the company’s regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi. For the past five years, Jonathan has worked on developing industrial partnerships for BAE Systems Air sector, driving initiatives that provide customers with the opportunity for local manufacture of components, knowledge transfer and economic diversification.
But his relationship with the UAE extends well beyond that, first visiting in 1991 at a time when the city of Dubai’s southern limits was marked by the Emirates Golf Club and the road to Abu Dhabi was a modest dual carriageway punctuated by speed humps.
His career in the defence sectors spans three decades during which time he has accumulated valuable, first-hand experience in the operational deployment of sophisticated security systems and military platforms gained in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, the Balkans and Iraq.
Bird said: “In order to really understand how things work in practice, you have to see it in operation. Experiencing how something is used in-theatre and the associated human factors helps for a better understanding of how improvements can be made to better protect resources.”
During his time with BAE Systems, Bird has immersed himself in the successful development of internships and STEM related education programmes, including the ongoing ‘Make It Challenge’ with Mubadala, which aims to encourage an interest in technology from school-age children.
Moving forward, he sees great value in engaging with the growing number of alumni of Emirati interns that BAE Systems has trained at its facilities in the UK.
The most recent example of an internship was where two Emirati women joined BAE Systems’ Applied Intelligence (AI) division, where they were involved in working on improvements to a deep-space router system to enhance communications with satellites orbiting the planet Mars.
Bird highlighted: “Transferring high-end technology skills is important to us and we have successfully collaborated on such programmes with partners across the region and of course especially here in the UAE.
“Central to this is identifying technologies which complement the UAE’s National Vision. Economic diversification and a greater focus on technology domains that BAE Systems can help evolve are key themes in my new role.”
Ground-breaking Innovations
BAE Systems has much to offer in multiple defence and security domains, for example in C4ISR where effective surveillance and intelligence underpin the success of any mission. The company continues to make ground-breaking innovations in this area. One example that Bird cites is BAE Systems’ PHASA-35, a 35m wingspan solar-electric aircraft which took flight for the first time in 2020.
As a High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) vehicle, it is powered by the sun during the day and by batteries at night, capable of continuous flight for up to a year and beyond. PHASA-35 plugs a gap between a satellite and a plane with potential applications for the delivery of sustainable communications, such as 5G, deployment to manage disaster relief operations and for ongoing border protection.
Back on the ground Bird has his eyes focused on collaborating with research centres and other local institutions to partner on the development of next generation technology innovation. His experience to date in working with the UAE’s Khalifa University and Abu Dhabi’s Youth Council have been notable in this respect.
At IDEX 2021, BAE Systems will present a range of technologically enhanced defence solutions across land, sea, air, cyber and training on its stand. This includes head-up displays, the APKWS Laser-Guided Rocket, the unmanned Pacific 24 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), the Riptide Autonomous Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Lightening II, cyber defence capabilities, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), Tactical Radio Systems, Anti-Jam Systems, and Silver Bullet Precision Guidance.
Autonomous Boats of the Future
During Armed Forces Week last year, BAE Systems and the UK Royal Navy announced a £3.2 million autonomous boat contract that will increase the Navy’s capabilities while protecting sailor’s lives.
The autonomous capabilities of BAE Systems’ Pacific 24 (P24) Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), a staple in the Royal Navy surface fleet, could significantly enhance the Navy’s ability to protect its sailors at reach, as the upgraded sea boat is able to execute its own missions without crew and be run from a warship.
Such missions could include anti-piracy operations, border control, persistent intelligence gathering, maritime security and force protection, all while keeping a sailor safe from harm.
The autonomous P24 has been procured under the Royal Navy’s autonomy and lethality accelerator programme, Navy X, which aims to deliver new technology into the hands of sailors and marines at pace.
The successful launch of the sea boat took place at Trafalgar Wharf, Portsmouth, last year, in spite of the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
BAE Systems and Navy X collaborated on the development of its first autonomous P24 which carried out a series of acceptance trials throughout last year. The success of these trials could determine whether the Royal Navy decides to upgrade or procure an entire fleet of such craft. This could include their adoption on future classes of warships, such as the Type 26 or Type 31 frigate.
At 7.8 metres long, the P24 is a small and agile boat that offers a top speed of 38 knots (nearly 44mph). It is deployed for a variety of tasks. In a military context, this ranges from counter-piracy and counter-narcotics missions, to force protection, rescue and logistics operations.
BAE Systems helps customers stay a step ahead when protecting people and national security, critical infrastructure and vital information. It provides advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions and employs a skilled workforce of 85,800 people in more than 40 countries. From state-of-the-art cyber threat detection to flight control systems that enable pilots to make better decisions, the company never stops innovating. This is a long-term commitment involving significant investments in skills. It also works closely with local partners to support economic development through the transfer of knowledge.
BAE Systems is exhibiting at stand 05-C25
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