175/2009
The UK’s torpedo industry will benefit from a ten-year
support contract following a £370M deal with BAE Systems.
It covers all aspects of support and maintenance for the
heavyweight Spearfish torpedoes that arm Britain’s submarine fleet
and lightweight Sting Ray torpedoes which are carried on Royal
Navy ships and helicopters and Royal Air Force Nimrod Maritime
Patrol aircraft.
Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:
“This contract is an excellent example of the principles of the
Defence Industrial
Strategy in action. The contract will
provide a more cohesive and efficient approach to our torpedo
support programme and ensures that the UK sustains this important
capability into the future.
“These potent British-designed and built weapons arm the Royal
Navy’s
submarine fleet, surface fleet and helicopters and
Royal Air Force Nimrod patrol aircraft. The contract further
demonstrates our continued investment in high-technology defence
equipment for our Armed Forces.”
The contract will safeguard around 120 posts at BAES Insyte in
Portsmouth, while further jobs will be sustained at a number of UK subcontractors.
MOD Defence Equipment and Support Torpedoes Project Team Leader,
Captain Jim Johnson RN, said:
“This 10-year availability contract is a radical improvement over
legacy arrangements and has significantly reduced costs. It
delivers more coherent and affordable support for torpedoes and
also provides the foundation for the development and upgrade of
the Spearfish weapon. The adoption of partnering principles and
close collaborative working with BAES Insyte was pivotal to
delivering the optimum support solution.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. For further information contact Tim Lewis, MOD Defence
Equipment & Support press office on 0117 913 0526 (tim.lewis684@mod.uk), Sonia
Marshall in the MOD Press Office on 0207 218 2957, or Donna-Marie
Dicker, BAES Insyte press office on 01276 603472 / 07771 24569 (donna.dicker@baesystems.com).
2. Spearfish is a submarine-launched heavyweight torpedo and is
embarked in current attack (Swiftsure & Trafalgar) and
deterrent (Vanguard) submarines. It will be deployed in the Astute
class from 2010. Spearfish is optimised for anti-submarine
warfare, while retaining a credible anti-surface capability.
Spearfish is powered by a high-performance thermal engine and
communicates with the launch submarine via a wire-guided link.
3. Sting Ray is a lightweight anti-submarine torpedo carried
aboard RN ships, Lynx and Merlin Helicopters and RAF Nimrod
Maritime Patrol Aircraft. It is fully autonomous once launched.
Sting Ray has recently undergone a mid-life update, improving its
capability against modern threats.
4. Sub-contractors include the following:
Honeywell Hymatic,
Redditch, Worcs;
AESSEAL. Rotherham, S Yorks;
Castlet
Ltd, Lincoln;
Exchem, Alfreton, Derbyshire;
Selex
S&AS, Edinburgh;
BAE Systems ATC, Great Baddow,
Essex;
Icore International, Slough, Berks;
MBDA,
Stevenage, Herts;
Plalite Ltd, Sittingbourne, Kent;
Polaron Components Ltd, Watford, Herts;
QinetiQ, Fort
Halstead, Kent;
BAE Systems (Operations), Rochester, Kent;
Airborne Systems, Bridgend, Mid Glam;
Atlas Elektronik,
Newport, Gwent;
BAE Systems, Glascoed, Monmouth;
AmSafe,
Bridport, Dorset;
Claverham Ltd, Bristol;
Eaton
Aerospace, Titchfield, Hants;
FPT, Portsmouth, Hants;
Horstman Defence Systems Ltd, Bath, Avon;
Portsmouth
Aviation, Portsmouth, Hants;
Wallop Defence, Stockbridge, Hants.
Contacts:
Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk