MoD awards £120m air power support contracts
The UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has announced two contracts worth almost £120 million, to improve RAF training for fast jet pilots and make sure the Hercules C-130J aircraft can continue supporting UK Armed Forces worldwide.
Above:
The Hercules Integrated Operational Support (HIOS) — which has been in place for more than 10 years — partners Marshall with Lockheed Martin (C-130 original equipment manufacturer) and Rolls-Royce (C-130 engine original equipment manufacturer) to deliver comprehensive support to the RAF and the MoD.
Courtesy Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group
Speaking at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, said: "These contracts demonstrate our commitment to supporting the UK’s air power, through maintaining battle proven aircraft and training the next generation of fast jet pilots.
"This substantial investment will ensure our Air Force can continue to perform at its very best. Backed by our rising defence budget and £178 billion equipment plan, these contracts will sustain high skilled jobs in Britain and > ensure that our Armed Forces have the best equipment and training available to keep the UK safe."
The first contract, worth £110 million, is with British company Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. It will replace the centre wing box for the RAF’s Hercules C-130J mk.4 aircraft with the Enhanced Service Life (ESL) Centre Wing Box and will sustain 330 jobs in Cambridge, contributing to the 5,100 UK jobs Marshall already support in the region.
This replacement will extend the Hercules C-130J aircraft’s out of service date to 2035, making sure this essential aircraft can continue to transport personnel and equipment around the world, having previously supported defence and humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq, Nepal and South Sudan.
The units provide durability enhancements and allow sustained centre wing service life that is two-to-three times longer than original centre wing boxes. The kits are manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the C-130J’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Alistair McPhee, Chief Executive of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, commented: “We are proud to have been trusted for over five decades to ensure frontline availability for the Royal Air Force fleet of Hercules C-130 aircraft – this new, important contract demonstrates the confidence in both the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130J and our ability to continue to deliver, support and serve the Royal Air Force.
“This is yet another demonstration of us working closely with a leading aircraft OEM to provide innovative world class support to the UK Armed Forces around the world.”
The MoD has also signed a £9.5 million contract with QinetiQ to provide Typhoon pilots with the latest cockpit technology to prepare them for front line combat.
With the nature of global conflict ever evolving, it is vital that the Armed Forces are trained effectively to deal with a variety of scenarios. This technical update will give Typhoon crews based at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby the ability to link to the Air Battlespace Training Centre at RAF Waddington and undertake 10 weeks of simulated battle training a year in the latest cockpit and simulated training technology.
The trainee aircrew will be exposed to state-of-the-art, simulated battlefield situations and the training facilitators can develop scenarios, provide mission management support and post mission debriefs, ensuring the crews will be best prepared for deployment.