A DEFENCE consultancy may be about to clinch lucrative work from a US firm bidding to supply guns to the Navy.

United Defence is preparing a bid for the Navy's new Mark 45 gun, and Aligned Solutions may be selected to help with the work.

The Newcastle management consultancy, a member of defence and aerospace group Northern Defence Industries, has also caught the eye of the Department of Trade and Industry.

The DTI has granted Aligned Solutions accreditation to the UK Council for e-Business Practical Business Leadership Scheme.

Aligned Solutions, which has moved to the Fabriam Centre, a new incubator set-up at Atmel, Silverlink, North Tyneside, is the only consultancy in the region to hold the DTI standard.

David Ward, chief executive, said: "It has been a busy time, with the accreditation and the move.

"We are also hoping to work with United Defence as the management consultants on the Navy's new Mark 45 gun.

"We are very hopeful that we could be part of that and that we can be involved with United Defence in the programme management of this project."