September 12, 2007 – London - Following an initial partnering period of 12 months, the Total Support Services (TSS) alliance companies, Thales, SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems (S&AS) and GE Aviation recently signed an enhanced partnering arrangement with DARA’s Electronics business at Sealand.

This revised arrangement sees DARA Electronics strengthen its involvement in TSS, with the Ministry of Defence owned Trading Fund becoming a voting member of the TSS Joint Executive Committee, and having significant representation throughout the organisation in particular on the Leadership, Transformation, Engineering and Commercial Teams. In addition, the agreement will allow a joint approach to TSS Strategy Development, Marketing and Business Winning. As a result, the arrangement created between TSS and DARA Electronics will see the utilisation of DARA resources and infrastructure supporting TSS existing contracts and live campaigns both now and in the future. Furthermore, TSS will now be marketed and branded as four partners: Thales, GE Aviation, SELEX S&AS and DARA Electronics.

The enhanced arrangement was recently signed at DARA Electronics’ Sealand site in North Wales, and was attended by senior executives from each of the Alliance member organisations.

Alan Lewis, DARA Commercial Director said, “We have observed a healthy maturity of the relationship between DARA and TSS over the past 18 months. This agreement to move the relationship forward substantially is timely and will provide advantage to all the stakeholders particularly our MoD customer.”

The original TSS/DARA Electronic Strategic partnering arrangement, signed in June 2006, sought to establish a long-term relationship between the parties. The aim is to align with the Defence Industrial Strategy and deliver rationalised support solutions at a reduced cost to MoD whilst maintaining growth within each of the respective businesses.

DARA Electronics is the largest 'In-Service' electronics maintenance unit in Europe. Its 550 employees provide services to the UK armed forces and Industry, and its capabilities include the repair, modification and calibration for electrical, flight control, instrumentation, radio, radar, electronic warfare, missile and sonic systems.

TSS was formed between alliance companies Thales UK, the Systems division of GE Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace) and SELEX S&AS, a Finmeccanica company, the end of 2005. Under the alliance the three firms are providing integrated through-life support services for avionics and electrical systems to the primes for MoD rotary and fixed wing aircraft. The alliance will use its extensive domain expertise and established supply chain partnering networks to drive down costs and improve equipment availability.

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