Dec. 6 - The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) selected Selex Es to modernize the communication systems of eight Anzac class frigates. The Finmeccanica Group company, an international leader in electronics for defense and security, was awarded a contract worth AUSD 188 million (€125 million) from the Australian defense materiel organization (DMO) on behalf of the Australian government. The company will provide equipment and support for the communication systems of the eight frigates of the Australian Navy as part of Phase 4 of the program Sea 1442. In a note, Finmeccanica explains "the service entry date of the first ship is expected in 2018. Support services for this new capability will be provided by Selex Es Australia Pty, a Melbourne-based company. The latter was created to play a leading role in the delivery and support of the program and will be the reference point for the transfer of skills and know-how to the Australian navy." According to Step 4 of the project Sea 1442, the "Australian industry capability program " will complement the work undertaken by Finmeccanica to identify potential opportunities for small and medium sized Australian businesses, in accordance with the principles expressed by "the Australian government global supply chain," which the Finmeccanica Group joined in 2012. "The operational capability upgrade of Anzac class frigates - says Finmeccanica - will lay the foundations to build maritime architecture, essential for RAN’s future tactical communications, and will also help digitize and ' put online ' the Australian armed forces."

FINMECCANICA: A PROFILE

Finmeccanica is the main Italian industrial group, leader in the field of high technologies. It ranks among the top ten groups in the world in the field of Aerospace and Defence and Security. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (FNC IM, SIFI.MI), with revenues of about € 17 billion, it employs over 68,000 people in 150 offices and commercial venues and 345 manufacturing sites in 50 countries around the world, Finmeccanica is an international and multicultural group with a significant presence in its four domestic markets: Italy, Great Britain, United States and Poland. Finmeccanica bases its success on technological excellence, which arises from substantial investment in Research & Development ( 12% of total revenues). Finmeccanica is active in the fields of helicopters (AgustaWestland), Defence Electronics and Security (Selex ES , DRS) and Air Force (Alenia Aermacchi) - which represent its core businesses - and boasts a significant role in the Space sector (Telespazio , Thales Alenia Space), Defence Systems (Oto Melara, WASS , MBDA), Energy (Ansaldo Energia) and Transport (Ansaldo STS, Ansaldo Breda).