Defence Security

Serco to continue providing critical support at RAF Fylingdales

Posted 6 May 2020

Serco has been awarded a three-year contract extension by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to continue to provide operations and maintenance support to the Solid State Phased Array Radar (SSPAR), part of the UK/US Ballistic Missile Early Warning System located at RAF Fylingdales, North Yorkshire.

Above: RAF Fylingdales, situated on Snod Hill in the desolate Yorkshire Moors.
Courtesy Serco

The main six-year contract ran from 1st April 2014 and was valued at over £15 million.This contract extension is the first of two three year options.

Under the terms of the contract, Serco will continue to be responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of the SSPAR and associated hardware and life support systems including Project Management and Software maintenance activities.

Paul McCarter, Serco Managing Director, Defence, said: “Serco is very proud and privileged to be able to offer our continuing service to the MoD and the US DoD in the support of this critical asset. We are delighted that both the MoD and RAF continue to have confidence in our ability to deliver a high quality service.

“This contract employs a highly skilled and specialised engineering and technical team and is a key part of Serco’s high technology work in the air and space domain.”

RAF Fylingdales is considered one of the key components of UK national security providing Ballistic Missile Early Warning Operations for more than 57 years. Serco is the only contractor to have continuously operated and maintained the facility, despite 11 competitive tender exercises.

Some of the Serco team have been supporting RAF Fylingdales since the very beginning, while Serco as a company has provided continuous support on site since its formation in 1988.