DSA 2012 : Meggitt Expects Sprite Sales in Asia

Meggitt has showcased its Sprite remote controlled surface target for the first time in Asia in an effort to attract local business.


Sprite has 'a number of NATO users', but is looking at Asia as an area of future growth, Chris Hilder, customer support manager for the company told Shephard at DSA 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 16 April.


'There has been a requirement for this type of boat for a number of years,' Hilder explained. 'We've brought it here to see if there's any interest in the region. There are a number of potential customers that are interested.


'It's the convenience and size that's appealing. We've had boats for years, but not in this small, inflatable variant,' he continued, and explained that some 100 of the systems have been sold in the past year.


Meanwhile the company's Jet Banshee gas turbine aerial target has been sold to six countries, 'including one in the Asian region'.


'We've provided the [propelled variant of] Banshee to Malaysia, and we're hoping that they're going to come out with a requirement soon.'


Meggitt is also working on providing both variants of the Banshee to India, on which it has been working for five years; 'people reckon we have done it quickly by dong it in five years,' Hilder explained.


He said that 300 Banshees have been delivered per year for the past 15 years to 30 countries, and all systems are available on a service basis.


The Banshee has been provided to the Malaysian forces in various different ways, and 'has evolved into us providing it as a service', Alan Buckenham, team leader at the company explained.