BAE Systems say it has successfully completed the management and delivery of planned overseas support for the UK’s Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21).
The carrier group sailed from the UK in May and has been supported by BAE Systems throughout its deployment.
“BAE Systems engineers and technicians have overseen the maintenance of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, Type 45 destroyers HMS Defender and HMS Diamond, and Type 23 frigates HMS Kent and HMS Richmond, in a number of countries along the route of CSG21. As well as delivering maintenance support to the Royal Navy’s ships, BAE Systems also delivered specialised support to the ships’ combat systems and the fleet of F-35 aircraft on board HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Almost 100 engineers and technicians from BAE Systems and its partners have deployed across the world and on board the ships in order to deliver the support needed to keep CSG21 at sea.”
BAE say that the primary objective of the support period was to enable the strike group to remain at sea by keeping the vessels in optimal working condition.
“As well as extensive maintenance checks throughout the vessels, the team conducted a range of essential work, including scheduled maintenance of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s engines and aircraft lifts. Work was also carried out on the Type 23 frigates’ visual landing aids and the Type 45 destroyers’ gas turbines.
In addition to planned work, a team of 30 BAE Systems personnel had earlier joined HMS Diamond at short notice in the Mediterranean to address an emergent technical issue. The team was able to take advantage of this to address planned maintenance requirements ahead of schedule, minimising the number of days in port across the deployment.”
Jon Pearson, Warship Support Director BAE Systems, was quoted as saying:
“Delivering deployed support to CSG21 has been a complex and exciting project and one that we’ve been proud to lead. We have spent months planning and forward-deploying resource and materials for CSG21 and have been responsible for liaising with everyone from suppliers to industry partners, the MOD and foreign base personnel.
We’ve been flexible and agile in the face of shifting requirements, with the added complexity of the global pandemic. Our teams responded to these challenges admirably, drawing on our extensive subject matter expertise, partner network and global reach. We extend our thanks to our numerous industry partners and to the MOD and the foreign governments that made this project such a success.”
Whatever happened to the Pompey FMG crew. I enjoyed those trips abroad many moons ago!!!
Enlighten us please on who we have constantly rejected?
I don’t know what you mean by “reject them in a sense of aloofness”; the allies who are helping in the CSG21 are the Netherlands and the USA. The idea of NATO is to help out. It IS a British CSG because the carrier, destroyers, frigates, supply ships, submarine, and around half the F-35s are British. However, an AB destroyer and a DZP frigate have joined us, primarily to show Western unity and also for added air-defence. The F-35s are also there to boost numbers until more of ours are delivered. I much prefer that we sail with the US… Read more »
Has HMS Diamond joined the CSG yet?
She last reported from the BIOT – she’s closing in on the group now!
Mike is a troll previously known as TH and Harold and PierrLM amongst other avatars, he’s just sad, very sad and lonely.
Perhaps he should be encouraged to find some other site.
He is probably trolling other sites as well mate, either as a sad wanker or a poorly paid bot troll!
Nice response, but he/she/it rarely replies to a reasoned post. Just check his history. Some one with a position would now fight their corner and respond to points made with counter claims, debunking, facts, or just good old debate.
Just a question: Type 23s are getting 5 sets of I-SSGW and IIRC you and I both think that these will be fitted to Type 31 later on. However, what’s the plan with Type 45s? What is going to replace Harpoon on them?
Morning E. Don’t recall it was me regards ISSGW. But I agree, I think T31 will be up armed incrementally and end up being acceptable to the masses. On T45 I have no idea I’m afraid. Possibly nothing. I’d like to see them always with a T26 as part of a CG with other units having the capability. In an ideal world I’d be happy to see ASM across the escort fleet. Many Leander, and all T21 T22 and T23 had the capability with Exocet then Harpoon. I also accept the explanations why the RN don’t consider it necessary at… Read more »
I have a funny feeling – based on the nothing more than the extension of the maintenance contract for Harpoon and its value – that T45 will retain an upgrade Harpoon. My reasoning on this is that it means the CMS suite would not need modification. Against that the CMS on T23 is pretty similar. And further against that I **believe** that the latest versions of Harpoon are a lot more sophisticated, lets not rerun that painful debate, so that would mean the CMS is in need of an update. Who really knows? Things are moving so fast now that… Read more »
The harpoon control console is a stand alone unit in the OPS Room on a T23. You do all the flight planning and engagement planning on it. It just takes/ is passed the target data from the CMS system.
@GB thanks for correcting me.
No probs shippers…
“I think that LAM will be a tertiary function of Astute – still there but legacy.”
It makes sense to me too mate, being able to suggest that you have a ‘shooter boat’ somewhere is great, as is having the ability to actually have that shooter boat. Having said that, having a grey war canoe visibly ‘in area’ is great and is easier to reload. A weapons load on a boat is complicated and when you throw in the nuclear requirements (Z berth) the places where you can actually do it are limited.
Hopefully they are being supported still for the return leg? Still thousands of miles to go.
A little negative aren’t we. How do we reject our allies exactly?
Oh dear troll is sad, troll not know much, troll needs to study.
Whilst I understand the logic, in this particular instance, BAE civilian suppport won’t be available during normal Royal Navy deployments outside of the current CSG. will RN maintainers be trained and equipped to cover most, if not all, repairs and maintenance on our ships and aircraft?
When a maintenance period happens on a deployed unit Babcock, A&P or BAe organise them. They raise the work package on behalf of the COM and the Ship and have a local yard undertake it. Local yards provide much of the labour and a Project Manager, the UK provides system specialists and a Project Manager. We all work together to get the work done along with any growth work for emergent defects. Specialist military equipment or where an existing support contract exist usually gets a UK engineer. The rest is covered by the local yard. RN maintainers can do most… Read more »
Has deployed contractor support been a feature for many years to support a CSG?
How much does this all cost compared to using service personnel (if the ‘rules’ changed)
Deployed units have used CLS for years. Local yards are cheaper than the UK. However accom in hotels and flights cost more for contractors to attend…
At the end of the day it’s probably comparable.
I have supported RN, RFA, USN, RAN deployed maintenance periods for over 5 years. Its always a bit of a shocker that the crews think that the service and work undertaken by commercial yards is in most respects (though not all) better than their home port!
Many thanks, GB, for the (as usual) very comprehensive explanation. Something we (ex) Blue jobs don’t appreciate.
I was in Kuwait airport many years ago, awaiting a flight home and got talking to an American guy. He worked for General Motors and travelled the world advising local GM dealers on, or fixing, vehicle gearboxes. A bit like you, I guess!
Cheers
O/T just a heads up, the Australian Defence Business Review – ADBR has just released its July-August issue of Australian Defence Business Review magazine, which they also supply as a flip book. Just click on the “Live Online” link. I’m sure John N would attest to this sites creditability. I haven’t read all of it yet but they usually put up informative articles, and back edition can be found top right of the menu, it’s a strange format, but once you get used to the click to enlarge and click drag, it’s all good … clunky but good. https://adbr.com.au/adbr-july-august-issue-online-now/ ~… Read more »
Great link. Cheers. Ps.all. Latest c17 Brisbane Riverfire festival flyby photos are worth looking at.
https://www.google.com/search?q=riverfire+c17&client=ms-android-samsung-rev2&source=android-browser&prmd=nisxv&sxsrf=AOaemvL9e6gZesf_AxCqbwVAcD6dyxe3Zw:1632993400296&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiK3q28rqbzAhWwlEsFHdaeAqQQ_AUoAnoECAIQAg&biw=412&bih=736&dpr=2.63#imgrc=G7KHMYfYpk68FM
I hope you get your much needed psychological therapy soon.
Strange comment, Mike. The point of having allies is interoperability and mutually effective operations.
Its o.k Mike, when Scotland leaves it can join in on these exercises with its Navy………………. oh hang on that might be a problem.
Do you mean that we have a Dutch and US escort and some US F-35s on board the carrier. Standard stuff. It’s all about cooperation amongst allies and testing and proving interoperability.
In what way have we aloofly rejected the US and the Netherlands in the past?
What with the recently announced huge ammunition order for BAE Systems, perhaps they are back in MoD’s good books. Now can we buy CV90 instead of Ajax?!
TBH things like P8 and T31 were to send a message that there are other ways of doing things.
I think that has now sunk in at BAe central.
If these ships had been in an actual war situation needing that level of technical assistance over just 7 months would have lost us the war.