4 minute read
Moving On Relocations and expansions across Europe
NeWS
MOVINGoN
Relocations and expansions across Europe
UK Reclaims Nuclear Weapons Contract From AWE Consortium
Britain’s defence ministry announced on Monday that it has secured the contract to create nuclear weapons for the nation from a consortium containing Lockheed Martin, Serco and Jacobs Engineering beginning June 2021.
The three companies manage an entity called AWE Management, with each owning a majority stake in the firm.
The role of creating a British nuclear deterrent was first outsourced to private companies by the Blair administration back in 2000.
The government said in a statement: “The change in the model will remove the current commercial arrangements, enhancing the Ministry of Defence’s agility in the future management of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, whilst also delivering on core MoD objectives and value for money to the taxpayer.”
Serco announced on Monday that the firm would lose the contract to develop nuclear weapons, as AWE would be transferred back under the direct control of the ministry on June 20, 2021.
Shares in Serco fell by 13% once news of the transaction broke.
They said AWE were set to invest roughly £17 million into the project in 2020.
Sky News, who first broke the story, admitted they were unsure if the three companies would be compensated for the termination of their contract, which was not set to expire until 2025. Learn more at: www.lockheedmartin.com
British Airways Boss Stands Down Amid Job Cut Scandal
Alex Cruz, the CEO of British Airways, is set to quit after heavy criticism following his management of the roughly 12,000 job cuts the company faced after a disastrous year for the industry in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
He is to be replaced by Sean Doyle, the chairman of Aer Lingus, who is also due to take over Cruz’s role of chairman after a transition period.
Both companies are part of the Internation Airlines Group (IAG), who have promoted Aer Lingus CAO Donal Moriarty to its executive position temporarily while a replacement is found.
IAG chief executive, Luis Gallego, said: “We’re navigating the worst crisis faced in our industry and I’m confident these internal promotions will ensure IAG is well placed to emerge in a strong position.
“Cruz has led the airline through a particularly demanding period and has secured restructuring agreements with the vast majority of employees. As our new team comes together we remain focused on making the right operational and strategic decisions for the long-term benefit of all IAG’s shareholders.”
Cruz had been CEO of British Airways since 2016 and was charged with making the company cost-effective to help it compete with rivals.
The aviation industry was severely affected by the Covi-19 pandemic, with worries the entire sector could go under if restrictions on travel are not lifted soon.
The ill-effects of Brexit may also have unintended effects on the aerospace industry, among others.
Back in July, IAG reported a record loss of €3.2 billion owing to the effects the pandemic had on the travel and aerospace sectors. The company has warned that passenger demand will not return to normal levels until at least 2024.
The company expects capacity to fall by 63% in 2020, compared with the previous year, up from the 59% initially forecast. This trend is set to continue into next year, which is predicted to see a 27% drop from 2019 numbers. Visit: www.britishairways.com
spaceX Martian Colony will ‘Make its own laws’ According to starlink App
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has decided they will not be subject by Earthbound laws once their Mars colony has been established, according to the terms of service for their Starlink project.
The ToS appear on the newly-launched Starlink app which contains all the pertinent information people involved with the project, such as access to software updates and billing information.
It also contains a brief overview of how the colony will operate, reportedly adhering to a set of “self-governing principles.”
The company have stipulated that SpaceX supply satellites will still be bound to the laws of the state of California, where the company are based, but anything outside of the Earth’s orbit is not subject to the same laws.
Such satellites could be used to ferry supplies or to provide an internet connection to people and machines in the colony.
More than 800 internet satellites have already been launched into orbit, with tens of thousands planned in the coming years.
Musk has revealed his intent to create a selfsustaining city on Martian soil last week, but no extra details have been divulged.
The ‘Governing Law’ section of the ToS says: “For services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other colonisation spacecraft, the parties recognise Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities.
The Earthlight Foundation’s Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities of Humanity list space as “free for all, by all, for all, and to all.” Learn more at: www.spacex.com
