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£70 Million Contract for Type 31 Mission Test and Integration Facility Supports UK Jobs

(Source: UK Ministry of Defence DE&S; issued May 09, 2023)
Thales and the Ministry of Defence have signed a £70 million contract that will provide the Royal Navy with a sixth ship-set of the T31 mission system. It will be installed at Portsdown Technology Park, the Royal Navy’s shore integration facility. (RN image)

A shore-based test and integration facility will be kitted out with the Type 31 mission systems equipment, under a deal placed by DE&S with Thales that secures dozens of UK jobs.

The £70 million contract will provide equipment and technical services into the Type 31 Mission System Shore Integration Facility at Portsdown Technology Park, the Royal Navy’s test and integration facility in Portsmouth.

The facility will ensure the mission systems and equipment, which will be fitted to the five Type-31 – or Inspiration-class – frigates, can be safely and effectively used by the Royal Navy personnel on board the highly-capable vessels.

The contract will secure 30 highly skilled engineering jobs in Crawley where the Thales Above Water Systems unit is based. More than 2,650 jobs are being supported by the Type 31 programme, delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy and support jobs across the UK.

Being built by Babcock, Type 31 will be the beating heart of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, deterring aggression and supporting the UK’s national interests across the world. With a significant UK-based supply chain, this contract is one of many that will support the manufacture and testing of the Type 31 vessels before entering the fleet.

DE&S Director General Ships Vice-Admiral Paul Marshall said: “I am incredibly proud of the Type 31 team at DE&S who have worked collaboratively and with great endeavour to secure this critical contract as the ships move ever closer to entering service with the Royal Navy.”

The construction of the Type 31 fleet will support around 1,250 highly-skilled jobs at Babcock and see the creation of an additional 150 apprenticeships. A further 1,250 roles in the UK supply chain are also expected to be supported by the programme.

The entire Type 31 fleet is expected to be delivered by the end of 2028 and to enter service with the Royal Navy by the end of 2030.

Commodore Steve Roberts, Deputy Director Ships Acquisition with the Royal Navy, said: “The Royal Navy is excited about the capability and flexibility that the T31 Class will bring. The ships will conduct critical maritime security tasks and the Type 31 Mission System Shore Integration Facility will play a vital role to ensure the ships are ready, and remain ready, to undertake these operations.”

Type 31 will be equipped with innovative technology and will benefit from MBDA’s Sea Ceptor, a supersonic anti-air missile defence system, as well as a 57mm and two 40mm Bofors naval guns, and a 4D radar system.

The newest of the Royal Navy’s frigate fleet will undertake a variety of roles on operations including interception and disruption of illegal activity at sea, intelligence gathering, Defence engagement and providing humanitarian support. The vessels – by design – also have the ability to adapt to the ever-evolving threats of the 21st century.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said: “I’m delighted to see this continued collaboration with industry, ensuring the critical combat capabilities on our Type 31 fleet will be not only world leading in terms of capability, but safe for our personnel.

“Type 31 will be a critical asset to the Royal Navy and this significant investment will secure a number of highly-skilled jobs in Crawley, beyond the thousands of further jobs across the whole Type 31 programme.”

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Thales to Provide Royal Navy with a Sixth Combat Management System for T31 Frigate Programme

Thales and the Ministry of Defence have signed a contract that will provide the Royal Navy with a sixth ship-set of the T31 mission system. It will be installed at Portsdown Technology Park, the Royal Navy’s shore integration facility.

The combat system is for testing software in advance of the systems going to sea. Having the facility will ensure effective and safe delivery for the Royal Navy with the ability to insert new capabilities at shore over the duration of the programme. A ship-set includes Tacticos, which is the combat management system, Integrated Bridge and Navigation system (IBNS) and an Integrated Communication System (ICS).

The contract is the next step in Thales’s ambitions to grow its above water systems business in the UK. Since being selected to provide the combat systems in 2019 for the new T31 Frigates, Thales has established a new business line in Crawley. The business was officially stood-up in 2021 and now has over 60 employees in the UK. This contract award has led to the creation and sustainment of 30 roles.

“I’m delighted to see this continued collaboration with industry, ensuring the critical combat capabilities on our Type 31 fleet will be not only world leading in terms of capability, but safe for our personnel. Type 31 will be a critical asset to the Royal Navy and this significant investment will secure a number of highly-skilled jobs in Crawley, beyond the thousands of further jobs across the whole Type 31 programme.” James Cartlidge, Minister for Defence Procurement.

“This contract strengthens the relationship between the Royal Navy and Thales. The shore Integration facility will support the Royal Navy to effectively and efficiently operate their new surface fleet. It grows Thales’ above water activities in the UK and illustrates our ambitions for future naval programmes in the UK and abroad.” Gerben Edelijn, head of Thales’ above water activities.

“This contract award demonstrates the commitment of Thales to growing our above water systems business in the UK. It also creates and sustains skilled engineering roles, supporting our ambition to create careers and investment for UK prosperity,” said Alex Cresswell, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Thales in the UK.

The sixth ship set of Type 31 mission systems will have simulators added so it can be fully tested and evolve in service both as an individual platform and as an integral part of the Royal Navy fleet. Is a critical part of the Type 31 capability insertion project that will enable the Type 31 platforms to be handed over from industry and operationally enter service with the Royal Navy.

The project will provide a presence for Thales alongside the Naval Combat Systems Integration Support Services (NCSISS) and the MoD’s Maritime Combat Systems (MCS) teams in Portsmouth as part of the Surface Ships Combat systems enterprise. It is anticipated that the tasking framework will support and cover a mix of integration activities and trials and demonstration activities to bring the platforms to a tested operational level.

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