BAE wins £135m Royal Navy torpedo support contract

The Torpedo Repair and Maintenance contract, announced by the Ministry of Defence on 4 August, runs from July 2026 to June 2029. It covers both weapons in Royal Navy service, carried by submarines, surface warships and maritime patrol aircraft.

Torpedoes are one of the Royal Navy’s most important tools for keeping the UK safe at sea, and the department says that without them “Britain’s ability to defend its waters, protect trade routes and maintain its nuclear deterrent would be at risk”. The contract, it says, “will ensure sailors and submariners always have reliable, battle-ready equipment when they need it”.

Of the 315 jobs, 150 are highly skilled engineering and technician roles at BAE Systems: 100 in Portsmouth and 50 more across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and near Glasgow. A further 165 are supported through the company’s UK supply chain. The department describes the funding as part of the £298 billion over four years announced under the Defence Investment Plan, and as furthering a commitment to use defence spending to “drive economic growth in every postcode, creating well-paid, long-term jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering across the UK”.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said:

“This is defence spending doing exactly what it should, keeping our country safe while securing 315 skilled jobs and creating new opportunities across our country. We are proud to be backing British jobs, British skills and British industry.”

The contract is a bridge rather than an endpoint. It leads to WHITEHEAD2, a longer term programme intended to deliver a modernised torpedo support solution from 2029 onwards, which the MoD says will keep the Royal Navy ahead of future threats.

Rear Admiral Matt Stratton, Royal Navy Director Naval Acquisition, said:

“This contract extension ensures the Royal Navy retains a safe, reliable and continuous torpedo support capability. It is a critical enabler of our operational readiness and directly supports the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent.”

Richard Murray, Director Lethality and Protect at the National Armaments Director Group Materiel, said:

“This contract extension secures continued, reliable support to the UK’s torpedo capability. Bringing together the Navy, National Armaments Director Group and industry as a single team has delivered real, tangible results for UK defence.”

Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime and Land Defence Solutions, said:

“Since 2019 we have delivered consistently high levels of torpedo availability for the UK Armed Forces, supporting both the successful entry into service of Spearfish and the ongoing operational readiness of Sting Ray. As a trusted partner to UK Defence, we are proud to underpin the nation’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent and anti-submarine warfare capability through exceptional reliability, availability and performance.”