Babcock awarded Royal Navy PTFS support contract
Above: HMS Vengeance.
Babcock designed, supplied, installed, and has subsequently supported the PTFS system under a contract awarded in 2007. The company will now support the system under a through life Post Design Services (PDS) contract, providing a 24/7 helpdesk, engineering support, technical documentation, obsolscence management, safety and environmental management, refresh of oscillator clock modules, and spares holding.
The proven technology from Babcock and its team member Time & Frequency Solutions (a specialist provider of precision time and frequency systems for a range of markets), provides a modular, low cost and low risk time and frequency standard. As well as the UK’s submarines, this has also been installed on aircraft carriers and at shore facilities and military headquarters. The modularity enables requirements for specific platforms to be met now and in the future, and minimises spares holdings, replacement costs, training and maintenance.
The PTFS system in the Royal Navy’s submarine flotilla involves a highly-accurate clock to provide a reference frequency and precise time to various systems. This is achieved through an atomic clock which uses the predictable levels of decay in two soft radioactive metals, caesium and rubidium. A similar system is also used by the US Navy for its submarine fleet communication equipment.
Commenting on the latest contract, Babcock Capability Insertion Programme Manager Mark Henagulph said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to support the PTFS equipment on the Royal Navy’s submarines. In delivering the PTFS system we have identified the best in class equipment manufacturer and worked with them to adapt their technology to meet the specific needs of the Royal Navy. Under this latest contract we will continue to offer support to our highly accurate, low cost modular system.”
