MOD plans £15.5m LEAPP support contract with Lockheed

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has issued a Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) indicating its intent to award a £15.5 million contract to Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill for the continued support of the Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability.

According to the MOD, the contract will commence on 1 April 2025 and extend over a 3-year and 9-month period, focusing on in-service support for this essential air situational awareness technology.

LEAPP, operational since 2014, provides shared air situational awareness across land-based platforms, enhancing the MOD’s ability to detect and manage air threats, coordinate air activity, and de-conflict airspace. The MOD’s VTN outlines the critical role of LEAPP, stating that it “improves the warning and management of air threats, coordination of air activity and de-confliction of airspace, resulting in greater combat effectiveness.”

Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill, as the original system integrator and design authority, is noted by the MOD as possessing the unique technical know-how required to support LEAPP.

The notice further clarifies, “Only the Contractor has the specific know-how and tools to achieve the integration and interface of this software with the corresponding land-based platforms to the required safety and performance standards.” This experience, combined with the proprietary design authority, makes Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill the only viable choice for continued LEAPP support, according to MOD officials.

The MOD added that awarding the contract without prior publication aligns with regulatory allowances, as “the single source procurement…falls within the circumstances set out in regulation 16 (1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.”

This non-competitive approach is deemed necessary to safeguard the operational integrity and continuity of the LEAPP system, which remains crucial for UK air situational awareness and overall combat readiness.