Thales UK signs Royal Navy sensor support contract
Thales UK will provide in-service support of the Royal Navy’s major sensor systems under a new contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed on 28 May. The ten year contract is worth up to £600 million, and is part of the new Sensors Support Optimisation Project (SSOP).
The SSOP builds on the success of Thales’s Contractor Logistics Support contract, originally signed in 2003, which has provided support to the Royal Navy’s sonar and electronic warfare systems for the past ten years.
Under the terms of SSOP, the in-service support contract has now been extended to include all of the Royal Navy’s submarine visual systems, including periscopes for the Vanguard and Trafalgar Class submarines and the non-hull-penetrating optronic masts for the Astute Class submarines, previously supported under separate contract arrangements with Thales UK’s optronics business in Glasgow.
The contract will see Thales provide in-service support to the ‘eyes and ears’ of the submarine fleet, as well as across the major surface sonar and electronic warfare systems. The work will be run through the joint MoD/Thales UK Equipment Support Delivery Team based in Abbey Wood, Bristol, and will be augmented by a number of specialist waterfront engineers.
Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, said: ‘This contract is good news for the MoD and UK industry. Not only will it secure a number of jobs across the UK whilst delivering savings but will also provide essential support for the combat equipment that helps give the Royal Navy’s fleet of ships and submarines a vital technological edge wherever they are based in the world.’
Victor Chavez, CEO, Thales UK, added: ‘This contract recognises the value that can be achieved and the savings that can be delivered through a long-term services agreement. It also reflects the successful way in which Thales UK has delivered the required outputs over the past ten years. This project refines that approach to optimise performance over the next ten years, and reinforces our positive well-established relationship with the Royal Navy.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition]()
Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
-
![Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?]()
Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?
As the Iran War draws US ships and marine corps units away from the Indo-Pacific, curtailed exercises and a temporary carrier gap are exposing tensions between Washington’s demand for more self-reliant allies and the joint training needed to realise that ambition.
-
![How could Rheinmetall’s GMF 140 fit with ongoing programmes in North America?]()
How could Rheinmetall’s GMF 140 fit with ongoing programmes in North America?
With Canada committed to its River-class replacement and the USN pursuing a lower-cost frigate, Rheinmetall will need to demonstrate where the GMF 140 can fill a capability gap in the North American fleet.
-
![Australian industry programme builds pipeline for Virginia-class sustainment]()
Australian industry programme builds pipeline for Virginia-class sustainment
Australian businesses can now bid to support Virginia-class submarine sustainment in Western Australia, as momentum around the Henderson Defence Precinct also builds.
