Raytheon UK today signed a £250 million contract with the Ministry of Defence to provide 11 years of support and sustainment services to the Royal Air Force’s Shadow aircraft fleet.
The contract supports Shadow aircraft maintenance, airworthiness management, design organisation and supply chain support.
When work begins in April 2019, the company advise that 200 full-time jobs will be secured at Raytheon’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance hub in North Wales, with an additional 250 sustained within the UK supply chain.
“We are safeguarding and creating skilled aerospace jobs in the UK and strengthening the local economy,” said Richard Daniel, chief executive and managing director of Raytheon UK.
“Our work in advanced defence and security systems, cyber protection and skilled training ensures our armed forces have the technology they need to keep the UK safe and secure.”
Raytheon UK will also support aircraft modification design and integration under the contract, which serves as an enabling agreement to upgrade the aircraft to the Mk2 version.
“We are creating the world’s leading hub for advanced ISR platforms in Broughton,” said Roland Howell, director of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at Raytheon UK.
“We will work with Team Shadow to make sure we deliver the tactical ISR capability needed for UK defence.”
Raytheon UK will collaborate with the MoD Defence Equipment and Support Fixed Wing Manned Airborne Surveillance delivery team on availability support, modifications and capability upgrades to the fleet.
Defence Minister Stuart Andrew said:
“This £250 million investment will ensure the UK retains its position as a global leader in battlefield intelligence gathering for UK troops and our NATO allies.
It is also great news for the economy through the safeguarding of 450 skilled jobs across the country, including 200 in North Wales, confirming the region as a UK centre of excellence for air support.”
Do we have 6 or 8?
I recall the force was reported as being expanded?
According to Air International August last year, 14Sqn has 6 although one is used as a training aircraft and is a basic airframe but may have roll on roll off mission equipment. Two additional aircraft are a requirement from the SDSR 2015 but it’s not clear if they are in service yet. It may be that these extra two will be produced to the R2 upgrade version and hence haven’t yet been delivered.
Thanks Mark.
That is as far as my knowledge suggests too.
Do we do work at this world leading base for other nations as well?
I love the extensive use of bubblewrap in the images. Is there anything it can’t do?
And to think bubble wrap actually started out as wallpaper in the 60s or around then.
“We are creating the world’s leading hub for advanced ISR platforms in Broughton,” , wonder what Sierra Nevada would have to say about that?