BAE Systems awards 14 companies Type 26 GCS contracts
BAE Systems has awarded manufacturing equipment contracts to a further 14 companies for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS), helping to support around 550 jobs jobs across the UK maritime industry and bringing the total investment in the supply chain to more than £500 million.
The largest of the new contracts are for the procurement of structural steel for the first three ships from UK and European steel mills by Dent Steel Services Ltd from its Bradford, UK facility, and sonar components critical to the ship’s anti-submarine warfare role, which are to be manufactured by Thales in Cheadle and Tods Defence from their Portland, UK facility.
The 14 companies awarded contracts are as follows:
BAE Systems’ Maritime Services was also awarded the contract for manufacturing the Artisan Radar 997, for Type 26, assembly of which will take place in Cowes, UK.
A total of 34 companies across the maritime supply chain are working directly with BAE Systems to deliver the Type 26 ships, with many more through the supply chain.
Geoff Searle, BAE Systems, Programme Director for Type 26 Global Combat Ship, said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Type 26 Global Combat Ship is truly an industry-wide effort drawing on the skills and dedication of many hundreds of people spread across the supply chain in the UK, Europe and beyond. We are now in the final stages of preparation to start manufacture of the Royal Navy’s first Type 26 Global Combat Ship in the coming weeks.”
“Tods Defence is honoured to have been selected to design and manufacture the composite bow sonar domes, a highly sophisticated acoustically tuned part of the sonar system,” said Pete Eckersall, Vice President and Managing Director of Tods Defence. “Our team has spent many years honing the talent and expertise required to produce such a critical component and we are privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of this prestigious programme.”