Airbus A380 © Farnborough International Limited

Farnborough air show new contracts

Farnborough International Air Show saw the MOD become a formal signatory to the Society for British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) 21st Century Supply Chain (SC21) programme.

Baroness Taylor, then Minister for Defence Equipment and Support signed the member's book and said: "We welcome SBAC's 21st Century Supply Chain programme, which is an excellent response to Defence Industrial Strategy and aligns well with our need to promote and influence an effective and competitive supply network."

Ian Godden, Chief Executive of the Society of British Aerospace Companies, said: "Industry works closely with the Ministry of Defence to ensure that we provide the best possible equipment for our armed forces. This agreement is a natural extension of that cooperation."

New approach to complex weapons

A new approach to purchasing future generations of guided precision weapons has been announced with the launch of an Assessment Phase with Team Complex Weapons.

Alongside an overarching Teaming Agreement with all of the Team Complex Weapons (Team CW) members, two contracts have been placed with MBDA (UK) Ltd and Thales UK to develop six Complex Weapons projects within the Assessment Phase, at a value of around £74 million for the first year:

  • Indirect Fire Precision Attack Loitering Munition.
  • 100kg weapon family to meet the Future Air to Surface Guided Weapon for Royal Navy helicopters.
  • Light weapon family for the Future Air to Surface Guided Weapon.
  • 50kg weapon family for the Selected Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) on fast jets and helicopters.
  • The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile family for a Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) for the T23 Frigate and the Future Surface Combatant.
  • An upgrade programme for Storm Shadow.

The Assessment Phase allows different concepts to be examined and, working with the MOD, they will develop and produce the requirements for the next generation guided and precision weapons.

Speaking at the Farnborough launch, Baroness Taylor said: "This Assessment Phase is a significant milestone in our work with Team Complex Weapons. Team CW will help to maintain the UK's key skills and technologies in missile development and protect our operational sovereignty in this sector for the future."

Team CW Industrial Chairman and Managing Director of MBDA (UK), Steve Wadey, added: "The prospect of being able to better understand the MOD's capability requirements through this partnering aids both industry and government immeasurably.

"This Assessment Phase will initiate a radical transformation which is central to the future military capability of the UK and the long-term future of the industry."

£300m support contracts for Navy missiles

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Ann Taylor announced contracts of £300 million to support the Seawolf air defence missile system at the Farnborough Air Show this summer.

The Seawolf air defence missile system equips Royal Navy Type 22 and Type 23 frigates and is to be radically revamped under contracts awarded to BAE Systems Insyte and MBDA.

These support the Seawolf In Service Support (SWISS) project to sustain the capability of the Seawolf system and ensure its readiness and improve its availability to the front line fleet by at least 25% over the next nine years.

The then Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor said: "Seawolf is one of the most potent naval air-defence systems in the world and with the roll-out of capability enhancements over the next few years, it will continue to form the mainstay of the defensive capability of the frigate fleet.

"The award of these contracts demonstrates our long-term partnership with industry to ensure a flexible and more effective Seawolf support package for the Royal Navy."

The SWISS project will measure industry's performance against the availability of the weapon system to the fleet, availability of missiles and results of test firings.