BAE Systems Avionics
BAE Systems Avionics was the avionics business of BAE Systems, later transferred into the SELEX and Leonardo defence-electronics organizations.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
BAE Systems Avionics was the avionics unit of BAE Systems, serving as a successor to a long-running British engineering and defence-electronics lineage. Although the BAE Systems Avionics name dates from the formation of BAE Systems in 1999, the business’s technical heritage extended back to the early twentieth century. Elliott Brothers and the Marconi companies began fitting aircraft with communications and other airborne systems in 1909. By 1913, the relevant product lines included gyroscopes, weapon sights and altimeters, establishing an engineering base that would later develop into a broad avionics capability. The business passed through a succession of industrial owners and names as Britain’s electronics and defence sectors consolidated. Marconi was acquired by English Electric in 1946, while English Electric and Elliott Automation combined in 1967. The resulting English Electric group was acquired by GEC in 1968. During the following decades, the avionics activity operated under names including Marconi-Elliott Avionics Systems, Marconi Avionics and GEC Avionics. The acquisition of Ferranti by GEC in 1990 further altered the surrounding corporate structure. In 1998, the activity was associated with Marconi Electronic Systems, the renamed defence arm of the GEC group. In 1999, Marconi Electronic Systems merged with British Aerospace to create BAE Systems. The avionics activity consequently became known as BAE Systems Avionics and operated as part of the new British defence and aerospace group. Its UK headquarters were in Basildon, Essex. The business represented the airborne-electronics portion of a wider defence portfolio, with historical activities encompassing aircraft communications, flight and navigation instrumentation, weapon sights and related systems. The available reference material does not establish a complete standalone product catalogue, customer list or financial record for the unit. The BAE Systems Avionics identity was short-lived as a corporate operating brand. In 2005, parts of the unit were combined with Galileo Avionica to form SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems. The new company initially had ownership divided between Finmeccanica, with a 75 percent stake, and BAE Systems, with 25 percent. In March 2007, Finmeccanica became the sole owner. The business was renamed SELEX Galileo in 2008. In January 2013, SELEX Galileo was combined with SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Selex Elsag, becoming Selex ES. On 1 January 2016, Selex ES activities were merged into Leonardo S.p.A.’s land and naval defence electronics division. BAE Systems Avionics therefore no longer operates as an independent active brand; its organizational and technological successors sit within the Leonardo defence-electronics structure.
History
The history of BAE Systems Avionics is rooted in the development of British aircraft electronics. In 1909, Elliott Brothers and the Marconi companies began adapting their technologies for aircraft, initially including early forms of air-to-ground communication. By 1913, the associated engineering work had expanded to gyroscopes, weapon sights and altimeters. These activities formed the foundation of a technical lineage that continued through several generations of corporate ownership. William Elliott established a scientific and surveying-instrument business in 1804, and the company was renamed Elliott Brothers in 1853. Separately, Guglielmo Marconi founded his company in 1897. Marconi was acquired by English Electric in 1946, and English Electric later combined with Elliott Automation in 1967. In 1968, the enlarged English Electric group was acquired by GEC. The avionics activity subsequently operated under a series of organizational names. In 1969, GEC designated the business Marconi-Elliott Avionics Systems Limited within its defence arm, GEC-Marconi. The name changed to Marconi Avionics Limited in 1978 and to GEC Avionics Limited in 1984. GEC’s acquisition of Ferranti in 1990 created another major change in the surrounding corporate structure. In 1998, the activity was again associated with Marconi Avionics as part of Marconi Electronic Systems, the renamed defence arm of the GEC group. The 1999 merger of Marconi Electronic Systems with British Aerospace created BAE Systems. The avionics business adopted the BAE Systems Avionics identity and was headquartered in Basildon, Essex. It operated as a specialist avionics and airborne-electronics unit within BAE Systems, drawing on the inherited capabilities in aircraft communications, instrumentation and weapon-related systems. A major restructuring began in 2005, when parts of BAE Systems Avionics were merged with Galileo Avionica to form SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems. The new entity was initially owned 75 percent by Finmeccanica and 25 percent by BAE Systems. Finmeccanica became the sole owner in March 2007. The organization was renamed SELEX Galileo in 2008, then combined with SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Selex Elsag in January 2013 to form Selex ES. On 1 January 2016, Selex ES activities were merged into Leonardo S.p.A.’s land and naval defence electronics division. The BAE Systems Avionics brand is therefore defunct, while its business heritage continued through the SELEX organizations and ultimately Leonardo.
- 2016
Activities become part of Leonardo
[1]Selex ES activities were merged into Leonardo S.p.A.’s land and naval defence electronics division on 1 January 2016.
- 2013
Creation of Selex ES
[1]SELEX Galileo merged with SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Selex Elsag to form Selex ES.
- 2008
SELEX Galileo rebranding
[1]SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems adopted the SELEX Galileo name.
- 2005
Transfer into SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems
[1]Parts of BAE Systems Avionics were combined with Galileo Avionica, creating SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems.
- 1999
BAE Systems Avionics identity created
[1]Marconi Electronic Systems merged with British Aerospace to form BAE Systems, after which the avionics business became BAE Systems Avionics.
- 1998
Avionics activity associated with Marconi Electronic Systems
[1]The activity became part of the renamed defence arm Marconi Electronic Systems under the Marconi Avionics identity.
- 1990
GEC acquires Ferranti
[1]GEC’s acquisition of Ferranti created GEC Ferranti and altered the corporate setting surrounding the avionics operation.
- 1984
Renamed GEC Avionics
[1]The business was renamed GEC Avionics Limited.
- 1978
Renamed Marconi Avionics
[1]The activity adopted the Marconi Avionics Limited name.
- 1969
Business becomes Marconi-Elliott Avionics Systems
[1]GEC renamed the activity Marconi-Elliott Avionics Systems Limited within its GEC-Marconi defence organization.
Products and positioning
A British aerospace and defence-electronics business focused on avionics and airborne systems, with roots in early aircraft instrumentation and communications. It was positioned as a specialist unit within BAE Systems rather than as a consumer-facing standalone brand.
Aircraft communications · 1909
Air-to-ground communications systems
The earliest documented aircraft-related work in the Elliott and Marconi lineage involved fitting aircraft with communications equipment, including embryonic air-to-ground communication systems. These activities established the airborne-electronics foundation from which the later avionics business developed.
Flight instrumentation · 1913
Gyroscopes
Gyroscopes were among the avionics product lines associated with the business by 1913. They represented the company’s early involvement in aircraft stability, orientation and flight-instrumentation technologies.
Airborne defence systems · 1913
Aircraft weapon sights
Weapon sights formed part of the early aircraft systems portfolio attributed to the Elliott and Marconi-related businesses. The product line illustrates the business’s longstanding connection to military aviation and airborne targeting equipment.
Flight instrumentation · 1913
Altimeters
Altimeters were included among the avionics products developed in the early twentieth century. They supported aircraft altitude measurement and formed part of the instrumentation heritage inherited by later successor organizations.
Brand decisions
2016
Integrate Selex ES into LeonardoM&ABackground
Leonardo reorganized the defence-electronics activities inherited through the Finmeccanica and SELEX corporate structure.
Action taken
On 1 January 2016, Selex ES activities were merged into Leonardo S.p.A.’s land and naval defence electronics division.
Aftermath
BAE Systems Avionics ceased to exist as an active standalone brand, while its business heritage continued within Leonardo.
2013
Consolidate SELEX defence-electronics businessesM&ABackground
Finmeccanica continued to consolidate related defence-electronics operations that included the former BAE Systems Avionics activities.
Action taken
SELEX Galileo merged with SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Selex Elsag to form Selex ES.
Aftermath
The consolidated business later became part of Leonardo’s land and naval defence electronics division.
2007
Finmeccanica takes full ownershipM&ABackground
The ownership arrangement established when the BAE Systems avionics activities joined Galileo Avionica was subsequently revised.
Action taken
Finmeccanica became the sole owner of SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems in March 2007.
Aftermath
The former BAE Systems avionics activities continued under Finmeccanica’s SELEX brands.
2005
Combine avionics activities with Galileo AvionicaM&ABackground
BAE Systems reorganized parts of its avionics business amid broader consolidation in the European aerospace and defence-electronics sector.
Action taken
Parts of BAE Systems Avionics were merged with Galileo Avionica to create SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems. Finmeccanica initially held 75 percent and BAE Systems held 25 percent.
Aftermath
The business moved into the SELEX succession of brands and was ultimately incorporated into Leonardo’s defence-electronics organization in 2016.
Recent events
- 2016
Selex ES activities transferred to Leonardo[1]
M&A
On 1 January 2016, Selex ES activities became part of Leonardo S.p.A.’s land and naval defence electronics division, completing the latest major stage of the business’s corporate succession.
- 2013
SELEX Galileo consolidated into Selex ES[1]
M&A
SELEX Galileo merged with SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Selex Elsag, creating Selex ES and further consolidating the activities associated with the former BAE Systems Avionics business.
- 2008
SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems rebranded as SELEX Galileo[1]
Other
The successor business adopted the SELEX Galileo name as part of the continuing consolidation of Finmeccanica’s aerospace and defence-electronics activities.
- 2007
Finmeccanica becomes sole owner of SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems[1]
M&A
The ownership structure created when the former BAE Systems avionics activities joined Galileo Avionica changed when Finmeccanica acquired full ownership in March 2007.
- 2005
BAE Systems Avionics activities transferred into SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems[1]
M&A
Parts of BAE Systems Avionics were combined with Galileo Avionica to establish SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems, beginning the unit’s transition out of the BAE Systems operating structure.
Sources1 sources
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