BAE Systems has awarded a further 15 manufacturing contracts to suppliers of the Type 26 programme, which entered the manufacturing phase in July.
BAE say they are increasing the number of UK maritime jobs supported by the programme to over 4,500.
In total 44 companies are now working directly with BAE Systems to deliver the Type 26 ships and the recent contract awards, worth more than £40m, include diesel and gearbox filtration, vibration monitoring equipment, and pipework and fittings.
One of the largest contracts awarded was to Goodwins Steel Casting where the shaft brackets supplied by the Staffordshire company will help support more than 380 jobs.
Goodwins Managing Director, Steven Birks said:
“We are delighted to have been selected to supply the critical duty steel castings for the Royal Navy’s first three City Class Type 26 Global Combat Ships.
By engaging early with BAE Systems our engineering teams have developed castings that will exceed the stringent technical requirements set out in the tender, and will be manufactured from our advanced facilities here in Stoke-on-Trent.”
The 15 companies awarded contracts are as follows
| Company | Equipment | Manufacture/Distribution location |
| Bruel & Kjaer | Hull Vibration Monitoring Equipment | Naerum, Denmark |
| Calzoni | Main Hanger Closure & Mission Bay enclosures | Bologna, Italy |
| GEA | Diesel fuel filtration and Gearbox filtration | Chateau Thierry, France and Oelde, Germany |
| Goodwins Steel Castings | Shaft brackets | Stoke on Trent, UK |
| Hutchinson Stop-choc | Wholeship mounts | Slough, UK |
| JB pipeline | Metallic pipe fittings and pipe material | Grangemouth & Inverurie, UK |
| Liferaft Systems Australia | Marine evacuation system | Tasmania, Australia |
| Mackay Consolidated Industries Pty. | Pipe hanger inserts | Victoria, Australia |
| Oglaend System UK limited | First fix support system | Birmingham, UK |
| PecoFACET | AVCAT filter | La Coruna, Spain |
| Raytheon Anschutz | Visual Surveillance System (VSS) | Kiel, Germany |
| Righton | Metallic pipe fittings and pipe material | Glasgow and Birmingham, UK |
| Rolls Royce | Replenishment at Sea | Newcastle, UK |
| SPX International | Wholeship strainers | Newbury, UK |
| Whippendell Marine Limited | Helicopter Starting and Servicing System | Watford, UK |
Nadia Savage, BAE Systems, Programme Director for Type 26 Global Combat Ship, said:
“Working together with the very best talent in the UK and overseas to deliver the most advanced warship of its type is extremely exciting. With manufacturing underway for GLASGOW, the first of the three City Class Type 26 frigates [in this batch], we are working at pace with our suppliers to deliver these hugely capable ships to the Royal Navy. Today’s announcement demonstrates once again that the construction of these ships is now very much underway.”
Keeping it British then i see(not)
Considering peoples lives are at stake when on duty on these things I’d rather have the best equipment for the job rather than insist on stuff being British built.
I agree in part. But Baz, how much would they cost if all parts were British supplied?
One reason why our military is being eaten into is the sheer cost of home made stuff.
MoD needs to strike a balance and get value for money.
I could not give a monkeys that the Marine Evacuation System comes from Tasmania!
I do give a monkeys that the first batch of 3 is what 3 billion plus.
baz – We live in a world of Global Supply Chains, centres of excellence and major assembly plants. A ‘British Built’ Land Rover has parts from all over the world. And in return they are sold all over the world. If we want to export this and the Type31e then we should be prepared to buy the best equipment at best cost because that is how the completed ships will be judged by export customers.
Opps
Thats me put in my place
At least you’re pattiotic. Unlike some. And you’ve served your nation.
You’re not put anywhere mate.
Patriotic sorry.
As long as the trade goes both ways.
Two Australian companies. Fascinating, considering BAE is one of three in the mix for nine vessels for the RAN.
MoD should order all 13 instead of this silliness called the Type 31e.
With what money? The country is broke
Were only 2 trillion and counting in debt. We can afford to borrow more as £700 billion is actually money from the bank of England anyway so it’
How can we be broke we give away £13billion in foreign aid every year.
Broke? Only when it suits us it seems. God help us with this new minister. Looks a bean counter extraordinarre! I just hope the chiefs of staff are ready to quit en masse when we cut the Navy to a coastal defence force and the army are left with a few dozen ‘cutting edge’ tanks that are too slow and now have an outdated main gun. Don’t hold your breath on that one!