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ITT - EDO MBM Begins Full Scale Paveway IV Guided Bomb Production in Brighton

* | 22.08.2008 17:04 | Smash EDO | Anti-militarism | Terror War | South Coast

After 4 years of developmental setbacks the Raytheon IV guided bomb is now in full production in the UK.

The new weapon is intended to replace the Paveway III guided bomb, the most commonly used munition in the 2003 'shock and awe' bombing of Iraq.

EDO MBM Technology Ltd (now owned by ITT Corp) are UK design and production partners on the new 'smart bomb' with Raytheon, Portsmouth Aviation, and Thales.

Once again EDO MBM is found to be at the heart of UK and joint US/UK military operations in Iraq and Afganistan.


An EDO MBM 2004 press release reports

'The MBM Technology design provides all structural, mechanical and electrical links between the aircraft and the weapon guidance and fusing systems. It will incorporate a universal interface allowing the weapon to fit current and future aircraft.'

 http://www.edocorp.com/pr2004/04r0223.pdf

A Raytheon 2004 press release reports

'It is a joint programme between RSL in the UK and Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) in Tucson, Arizona. RSL in Harlow is the Weapon Design Authority, providing Systems Engineering, Programme Management and Aircraft Integration, and the RSL Glenrothes plant manufactures the GAINS (GPS Aided Inertial Navigation System), and RMS in Tucson is the DA for the Warhead and ECCG (Enhanced Computer Control Group) and undertakes final assembly and test of the ECCG.'

'Raytheon's UK Paveway Team also includes Portsmouth Aviation Limited (Air Foil Group and Navalised containers) and EDO MBM Technology in Brighton (Aircraft Umbilical Interconnect System and Quad Containers). Thales Missile Electronics Ltd in Basingstoke is developing and manufacturing the PGB Fuze, a state-of-the-art ‘intelligent' fuze with full cockpit interface.'

 http://www.edocorp.com/pr2004/04r0223.pdf

This week Janes Defense Weekly reports

'UK RAF clears Paveway IV for operational use'

'The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) will have hundreds of Raytheon Paveway IV precision guided munitions before the end of the year following the successful conclusion of testing in July.'

'Testing took place at the Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake in the United States, with 14 tests taking place between 3 June and 22 July 2008 from a BAe/McDonnell Douglas Harrier GR.9 attack aircraft.

Protests against the presence of EDO MBM in Brighton have been ongoing since 2004.



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- Homepage: http://www.smashedo.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Aberporth not in my back yard

22.08.2008 20:22


why is it just Brigton all the time, have a look at Aberporth in wales, i have approached ,smash edo and sch news, dont want to no, it seems not in there own yard so to speak ,  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/400624.html



 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/liverpool/2008/06/400624.html

why is no one looking and joining forces to stop this,

Davey


ALL ALONE/WHO CARES/NOT IN BRIGHTON

22.08.2008 20:55

“It’s a niche market which deserves a niche event. It’s as good as Paris!” Nick Guard, MD of EDO MBM Technology Ltd WHY SAY THAT NICK, if its for civil use,


 http://www.ibwales.com/server.php?show=nav.6700


and still im all alone, in this matter, who cares, I DO SO HAVE A LOOK AND DO SOMETHING, NOT JUST IN BRIGHTON,

Davey


Doing stuff where you are

22.08.2008 23:11

I'd imagine that its just that people and groups that live in Brighton are organising stuff in their area and people where you live need to organise stuff there. There's unlikely to be spare people or resources to do much to organise stuff on the other side of the country, the groups you mention are small and run by people in their spare time, with never quite enough money to run things, though I'm sure they'd be overjoyed if thing started up against EDO everywhere they have offices and factories!

chris


schnews

23.08.2008 17:54

i thought schnews wa a clobal web site, after speaking to john who has a lot to do with schnews and samshedo, it appeared this is not high on the agenda of international affairs and warfare, star wars springs to mind, perhaps in 5 or 10 years when these nasty little unmanned planes are flying around will people take note, we need to stop the welsh assembley from promoting this, thats all folks i wash my hands of it,

Davey


sorted/Aberporth

27.08.2008 18:09

sorted Thanks for the email

Davey