Aircraft Services News

Martek Marine (Martek) has been awarded a two-year Remotely Piloted Aircraft Services (RPAS) contract from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The services offered will fulfil part of the world’s largest ever maritime drone contract. Part of a five-year EMSA strategy of improving coastguard monitoring and surveillance of maritime activity valued at €67 million, the service provision from Martek not only includes the RPAS, commonly known as drones, but also the pilots, long-range antennae, mission control vehicles and ground crew.

General Dynamics has reported second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $666 million, or $1.79 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared with 2010 second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $651 million, or $1.68 per share fully diluted. Revenues in the quarter were $7.9 billion. Net earnings for the second quarter of 2011 were $653 million, compared to $648 million in the second quarter of 2010. Company-wide operating margins for the second quarter of 2011 were 12 percent, with particularly strong performance in the defense segments. Operating margins for Combat Systems and Information Systems and Technology grew when compared to the year-ago period, and Marine Systems margins remained steady at 10.2 percent.