USA consolidates its influence over UK warhead programme with appointment of new AWE Director

New AWE plc Managing Director Kevin Bilger (photo: Lockheed Martin Corporation)

 

 

AWE plc, the company which runs the Atomic Weapons Establishment, has announced that its new Managing Director is to be Kevin Bilger – an American citizen from the USA's Lockheed Martin Corporation, one of the three parent companies which comprise the AWE consortium.

Mr Bilger takes over the role of Managing Director from Andrew Jupp, who resigned unexpectedly from the post in July 2014.  He is the third person to take over the post in a period of less than five years.

He has most recently worked in the post of  Vice President, Programmes and Quality for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and has been employed by Lockheed Martin since 1982.  He has also been Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Global Communications Systems and previously held numerous other management positions with Lockheed Martin.

AWE's formal announcement of Mr Bilger's appointment emphasises his record in making cost savings, delivering results, and improving programme performance whilst at Lockheed Martin, and it is believed that he has been appointed by AWE to the Managing Director post with the intention of applying similar business methods to increase corporate profits.

AWE Management Ltd, a private sector consortium consisting of  Serco Group plc and US companies Lockheed Martin Corporation and Jacobs Engineering Group, is contracted by the Ministry of Defence to operate the Atomic Weapons Establishment until 2025.  Day-to-day management of AWE sites is undertaken by AWE plc, a wholly-owned subsidary of AWE Management Ltd.

The company has also announced that Rob Fletcher, who has been Acting Managing Director following Mr Jupp's resignation, will become AWE plc's Deputy Managing Director.

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