1.
TV PAN AND LV Rapier missiles on tracked vehicle over rough terrain. (2 shots)
0.15

2.
CU AND LV Drivers in cabin and vehicle over rough country. (3 shots)
0.35

3.
LV AND CU Two missiles fired from vehicle. (2 shots)
0.40

4.
LV Target in flight hit by missile PAN ON flaming target plummeting to ground.
0.53



Initials VS 21.15 VS 21.25



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The British Aircraft CORPORATION (BAC) has won Britain's biggest-ever export order for guided missiles.....a 186 million sterling (390 million U.S. dollars) deal with Iran for the Rapier surface-to-air defence system.

Iran has already spent 100 million sterling (210 million U.S. dollars) on earlier versions of Rapier but the new order is for a tracked, highly-mobile system.

In all, BAC has now sold 400 million sterling (840 million U.S. dollars) worth of Rapiers to eight countries.

The Iranian deal will provide two thousand jobs over the next five years.

The deal, which envisages the eventual production of the missile under licence in Iran, is regarded as a major achievement for BAC Guided Weapons Division in the face of tough competition, especially from the Franco-German Roland surface-to-air missile.

BAC is expected to help Iran set up a production line for Rapier missiles, both the tracked vehicle version and the conventional towed type.

This will involve BAC in training technicians and providing other forms of assistance to Iran.

The latest sale brings with it prospects of further substantial orders form other countries interested in the missile. Already, a BAC sales group has gone to the United States to try to sell the Rapier to the American army.

SYNOPSIS: This is the Rapier surface-to-air defence system which has won the British Aircraft Corporation Britain's biggest-ever export order for guided missiles. The order worth 186-million pounds, came from Iran for the tracked, highly-mobile version of the system. This means BAC has now sold 400-million pounds of Rapiers to eight countries, including a former 100-million pound contract with Iran. The new Iranian deal is expected to provide two thousand jobs over the next five years.

It is envisaged that both the tracked vehicle version and the conventional towed type of the Rapier will eventually be produced under licence in Iran. This will involve BAC in training Iranian engineers in production techniques.