BAe buys Sema Group's naval division

NEWS British Aerospace (BAe) has bought out the Sema Group's 50 per cent stake in BAeSema - a leading developer of naval defence technology. The £77m purchase gives BAe control over the full range of naval systems - from propulsion and communications to combat management. BAe and the Sema Group set up BAeSema as a joint venture seven years ago. BAe's decision to boost its naval resources coincides with the Sema Group's shift away from defence. The Anglo-French group will focus instead on telecommunications and financial services, it announced yesterday. A BAeSema spokeswoman said: "Increasingly, warfare takes place across land, sea and air - although these used to be three separate battle fields. So defence systems must be set up to integrate the technology and communications of all three sectors. BAe has made this its big priority." BAeSema expects the acquisition to be approved by regulators before the end of the year.