A BATTLE to win a slice of an £800 million missile order is underway.

The Ministry of Defence is considering bids for the contract to supply air-to-surface cruise missiles for the RAF.

And Burnley based Pendle Aeroform is one of the 27 major partners in the McDonnell Douglas/ Hunting Engineering 'Grand Slam' tender for the work.

If the Grand Slam team won the bid Pendle Aeroform would be involved in shaping sheets of aluminium into wing skins for the missile which is designed to destroy heavily protected targets at long ranges.

"We were actively involved in another McDonnell Douglas programme, Team Apache, for the British army's attack helicopter which was an outstanding success," said managing director Stephen Ward.

"A Grand Slam win would help us consolidate jobs and contribute considerably to our overall growth plan. We would also have sound commercial grounds for the purchase of additional stretch forming machinery."

The MoD is expected to announce its decision this summer.

Pendle Aeroform already does indirect work for McDonnell Douglas by manufacturing components for the Harrier AV-88 jump jet and the Goshawk T-45 training aircraft.

The firm, which employs 200 staff at the former Lucas Aerospace factory at Hargher Clough, was launched in 1989 and has seen turnover grow from £600,000 a year to £7.5 million.

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