G4S selling US government arm after revenues falter The sale of G4S Government Solutions is expected to complete within six months, the parent company said in regulatory announcement, adding that, as a non-American business, it had less access to classified information, compounding security restrictions, which made it harder to manage and grow the division. The unit - which runs sensitive contracts such as fire protection and mine clearance for US government departments including Energy, Homeland Security and Defence, as well as international organisations such as NATO and the United Nations - had revenues of about £400m in 2012. The sale is being handled by investment bank Houlihan Lokey. The US has been a tricky market for outsourcing firms including G4S and British rival Serco, as the country's budget delays and defence cuts have severely hampered work prospects and hit margins. Revenues at G4S's US government arm fell 14pc in the six months to June 30. G4S, which is the world's largest security services business, said it would retain its US commercial business, which provides security and technology to firms such as Google and GE, and government departments where high-level security clearances are not needed. G4S said the revenues of this business, combined with the firm's other US operations, totalled £1.2bn in 2012. On this side of the Atlantic, G4S's aviation unit on Tuesday said it had won a new three-year deal to provide security for British Airways at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The contract will guarantee 600 jobs and G4S will take on responsibilities including staff, passenger, baggage and cargo screening, document verification, aircraft protection, firearms handling, incident response services, and building and asset security. Shares in FTSE 100-listed G4S closed up 3 at 295.9p.