BAE Systems awarded £270m Royal Navy radar contract by DE&S
Above:
QE Class Carrier with Type 45 frigate.
Courtesy DE&S / © Crown Copyright
The 10-year contract will support Artisan, Sampson and Long Range Radars found on warships including Type 23 and Type 26 frigates, Type 45 destroyers and the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.
As well as securing highly-skilled jobs in Cowes, Portsmouth, Essex and in Hillend near Edinburgh, the contract - which includes upgrading existing radars as well as maintenance and other in-service support - ensures the UK retains the highly-specialist skills required for a sovereign option in future radar development.
The contract was placed by the Maritime Anti-Air Weapons Systems (MAWS) team at DE&S.
Team leader Debbie Hather, said: “This has been a complex negotiation but a combination of diligence, agility and collaborative working has yielded results. I must pay tribute to my predecessor James Mitchell who drove this contract award to the brink of completion, thus allowing me the privilege over nudging it over the finish line.”
As well as securing hundreds of jobs, the contract award will allow BAE to create new support roles in engineering and project management as well as make additional investment in the UK supply chain of SME and high-tech suppliers.
By merging previous contracts, the enterprise will realise £50 million in savings to fund enhancements of current radar systems and studies in support of future capability and technology advancement to tackle emerging threats like Uncrewed Air Systems.
Cdre Steve McCarthy, Director Ships Support at DE&S, said: “This is an excellent outcome for Defence and our industry partners, supporting vital highly skilled UK jobs to underwrite the future of state-of-the-art British naval radar technology. These systems give the Royal Navy the battle-winning edge it needs to protect and defend our nation.”
The radars provide a key defensive capability to the Royal Navy at sea and are used to identify and track potential airborne and seaborne threats.
Rear Admiral James Parkin CBE, Director Develop at Navy HQ said: “By combining the support of our existing maritime complex radars, the Royal Navy will be better able to adapt to technological change and our ships will be able to respond faster to developing operational threats and will maintain our status as one of the world’s leading maritime forces.”
Every major Royal Navy ship from the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers to the Type 45 destroyers feature at least one of these systems which are designed and built by BAE Systems.
The £270 million support contract replaces a number of existing contracts, delivering increased value for money and allowing greater investment in future technology development. Under the contract, BAE Systems engineers will provide maintenance support and upgrade existing radars, including a roll out of technology upgrades to systems already in use as well as those being installed on the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates, which the company is currently building in Glasgow.
The MoD and BAE Systems are jointly investing a further £50 million to develop the next generation of radar technology which the Royal Navy requires to tackle emerging threats, including ballistic missiles and drones. The MoD will contribute £37.5 million and BAE Systems will invest £12.5 million into research and development. This commitment is designed to ensure that British naval radar technology remains a global market leader.
James Cartlidge, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: "Equipping our Armed Forces with the latest technology to counter emerging threats is critical to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of our fleet and personnel. Securing hundreds of jobs across the UK, this contract is a boost for the UK Supply Chain and lets our adversaries know we are equipped, prepared and ready.
Scott Jamieson, Managing Director, BAE Systems Maritime Services, said: "This is a pivotal moment for UK radar technology development. This contract secures a decade of investment into a critical capability for the UK armed forces. It also allows us to evolve future radar technology with the MoD to sustain maritime air dominance and vital radar development skills and experience in the UK."
The support contract and joint investment secures around 400 highly-skilled British jobs and underpins BAE Systems’ radar business in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth in Hampshire, Great Baddow in Essex and Hillend, near Edinburgh. It will also create new support roles in engineering and project management as well as additional investment in the UK supply chain of SME and high-tech suppliers.
