The Ministry of Defence has announced its intention to award a substantial contract, valued at an estimated £2.9 billion, to Thales UK Limited.
The announcement, published on the 8th of August, highlights the contract as being for the in-service support of various equipment used by the Royal Navy.
The support services encompassed in the contract include maintenance, managing obsolescence, stock management, provision of spare parts, and safety certification.
Specifically, the contract details the equipment covered: “Sonars 2050, 2054, 2076, 2087, 2093, 2193; UAA4, UAT, UAT(16); T&V Class Periscopes; AJU, AJN & AXA Masts; AVS; Orphan MRE and NEP Cabinets“.
The duration of the contract will span fifteen years, aligning with the Authority’s technical refresh programme for the aforementioned equipment. However, this term is subject to the MOD’s potential exercise of break options included within the contract.
The MOD has chosen to award this contract to Thales UK Limited, citing technical reasons that rendered Thales the only feasible option. As stated in the official notice, “Thales UK Limited is the original equipment manufacturer of the Equipment and alone has the accumulated know-how required to support, and certify the safety of, the Equipment in accordance with the technical requirements of the Contract.“
I really hope we stick with a UK combat system for AUKUS SSN. Our sonars and torpedos are absolute world class and possible the only major type of system where we are exceeding what the US navy can do.
Not something we should give up.
Well either we work together with the 2 other countries to make the best system available, give up and buy American or go full U.K system. I can see changes being made to the new sub as time and design progresses.
The USA can be sneaky about this sort of thing. Some of our key defence companies with secret stuff have recently been sold to wall street.