Tag: Ministry of Defence

• £115 million contract, supporting 300 UK jobs, awarded to develop flying electronics laboratory for future combat air technology.
• Net Zero Strategy signing commits Ministry of Defence to decarbonise its aviation capabilities.
• Extensive Ministerial engagement at key 2023 airshow.

A £115m contract will create a ‘flying electronics laboratory’ to develop our future combat air technology, it has been announced at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).

The contract – awarded to Leonardo and which will be delivered in partnership with 2Excel – will launch the next stage of the Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft (FTA) project. This will see a Boeing 757 completely overhauled and turned into a flight test aircraft that will resemble a ‘flying electronics laboratory’. The aircraft will test some of the innovative technology that could be deployed on the fighter jet being developed by the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

The Excalibur project is a key element of the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) that could include the crewed fighter and a broader range of capabilities such as uncrewed aircraft, information systems and weapon systems.

The Excalibur aircraft will be adapted to host integrated sensors, digital technology and integrated communications. This aircraft is expected to fly with the new technology within the next three years, when on-board scientists and engineers will test the sensors and communications systems whilst in flight.

Supporting the Government’s priority to grow the UK economy, the Excalibur programme is sustaining around 300 highly skilled jobs across the UK.

The aircraft is designed in Yorkshire and built in Hampshire with the concepts conceived by Leonardo in Bedfordshire and 2Excel in Northamptonshire. The Excalibur project is part of the UK’s drive to grow our air industrial capability, securing the nation’s future at the cutting edge of combat air design and development.

Richard Berthon, MOD Director Future Combat Air, said:

This contract is a major milestone for the FTA project and demonstrates our commitment in support of the UK Future Combat Air System. I’m excited that this work will enable us to test, in a live flying environment, some of the highly advanced technology that could feature on the aircraft being developed by GCAP.

The GCAP international collaboration between the UK, Italy and Japan continues to progress at pace, with partners working together to develop a new combat aircraft for 2035.

Also at RIAT, Defence Procurement Minister, James Cartlidge signed the Defence Aviation Net Zero Charter.

The Charter signatories have closely collaborated with the MOD on the strategy development and the Charter shows their continued commitment to assist the MOD in its contribution to the Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal. As signatories they agree to share best practice and help remove barriers, including increasing sustainable aviation fuel usage, improving operational efficiency, utilising zero emissions propulsion technology, and finding innovative ways to deliver aviation operations whilst reducing their climate impact.

The signing of this charter follows the release of the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy and shows the commitment of our strategic industry and academic partners to assist the MOD in its contribution to the Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal.

With aviation activity accounting for over 30% of Defence’s carbon emissions, the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy outlines the steps necessary to meet the commitment to decarbonise Defence’s aviation capability, whilst also mitigating potential risks to operational effectiveness that are likely to arise because of climate change.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:

RIAT has been an excellent opportunity to meet with industry leaders and range of companies that support UK Defence in keeping the country safe.

The £115 million contract to develop the Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft proves that Britain continues to be a major player in the aviation industry and it’s an important further step in delivering our future fighter jet.

It is also critical that the aviation sector plays its part in delivering the UK’s net zero commitment and the Government is already supporting a variety of technology, fuel, and market-based measures to address aviation emissions.

Climate initiatives already underway include the RAF working with industry leaders Zero Petroleum Ltd to research and develop synthetic fuel technology, which has the potential to eventually eliminate reliance on fossil fuels. In November 2022 the RAF and industry partners flew a Voyager (A330) using 100% sustainable fuel, a world first for a military aircraft of its size, and the first of any aircraft type in the UK.

Building on the release of the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy and as part of the RAF Net Zero by 2040 aspirations, the RAF has entered into a strategy partnership with the University of Cambridge’s Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA).

The AIA partnership will allow the RAF to exploit the insights and analysis of a world leading research group to further its understanding on aviation decarbonisation, how the transition across the civil aviation sector will impact its operational output and how the service can responsibly move towards its own net zero goals.

Leading defence companies will join the UK Government and the Armed Forces in Scotland today (Thursday 13 July) to thrash out a roadmap for maximising the defence sector’s economy-boosting impact.

The meeting comes as it was confirmed that a defence contract worth £169 million has been awarded to Thales Glasgow to build the integrated optronic combat system mast, the above water ‘eyes’ for the Royal Navy future nuclear deterrent submarine class – Dreadnought.

Every Royal Navy submarine in service since 1917 has been fitted with a Thales periscope or optronics mast manufactured at its site on the Clyde. The Dreadnought version continues this tradition, sustaining more than 150 jobs, while the whole Dreadnought programme – from design through to build – will support around 30,000 jobs across the UK, contributing to the growth of the economy.

Roundtable partner ADS – the trade organisation for companies in the UK aerospace, defence, security and space sectors – will also unveil new figures at today’s meeting that show Scottish businesses in these fields produced £7.3 billion in turnover, delivering £3.2 billion in value add to the economy in 2022.

The research from the trade association representing more than 1,200 members across the UK also highlighted that the sectors employed 33,500 people in Scotland, including 1,500 apprentices.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

It’s clear that Scottish skills, expertise and innovation make an enormous contribution to the UK’s defence industry, with massive benefits for our national security and economy. I’m looking forward to hosting ADS, its members, the Armed Forces and UK Government departments at this new forum. The UK Government is committed to growing our economy, including by working with the defence industry to support its success in the UK and in exporting overseas.

On the contract award from BAE Systems Submarines to Thales as part of the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought programme, the Scottish Secretary said:

With more than a century’s experience of building periscopes and optronic masts for our submarines, it’s great news that Thales’ Glasgow workforce will once again be at the forefront of producing the state-of-the-art combat system mast for our round the clock nuclear deterrent. Defence plays a crucial part in the security of the United Kingdom and also contributes significantly to delivering high-skilled jobs and investment in Scotland.

Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge said:

This is a clear investment in maintaining the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent. By providing the ‘eyes’ of the new Dreadnought Class Submarine, this technology will play a key role in keeping the country safe. The Dreadnought programme will support tens of thousands of UK jobs, boosting the economy and defending our nation.

CEO of Thales UK Alex Cresswell said:

We are proud to say that our combat system mast and sonar will be providing the eyes and ears capabilities of the new Dreadnought Class. The boat build, led by BAE Systems and partners, will be another milestone showcase of UK engineering skills and innovation. It is an incredibly exciting time for the Submarine Service and its contribution to global security with the build of the Dreadnought class and as we look to the development of the AUKUS submarine programme that will deliver a future capability for Australia and the UK.

The defence roundtable is the first of what is planned to be a biannual gathering to ensure the sector is able to maximise its economic benefits for the UK. The working group will allow the UK Government and Armed Forces to establish a more direct relationship with Scottish industry. Today’s discussion will include sector priorities, challenges and upcoming milestones.

Minister for Exports Lord Offord said:

Scotland has a thriving defence and security industry that employs tens of thousands of people and contributes billions to the local economy, and the UK Government is determined to do all we can to help these businesses continue to flourish. That’s why this roundtable is so important – it will not only allow us to hear directly from those in the sector, but help us to better support them in the future.

ADS in Scotland Director Warrick Malcolm said:

Innovative Scottish businesses are major employers, and provide a significant contribution to the economy, our prosperity and national security. Scottish businesses are recognised internationally for their contribution to the global aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. It is essential Scotland’s growth continues, securing the UK’s world-leading position in rapidly advancing sectors. We are looking forward to the first roundtable, an important new platform to convene Scottish industry and political stakeholders.

As well as ADS it will feature member companies from across the Scottish defence industry, from large companies to small and medium enterprises. These included Thales, BAE, Spirit Aerosystems, Leonardo, QinetiQ, Raytheon, Castle Precision, Glenalmond and Babcock.

Armed Forces representatives from across the three services in Scotland and Ministry of Defence representatives will also attend.

Mark Goldsack, Director Defence Security Exports, Department for Business and Trade, will present an agenda item on supporting Scottish exports.

The UK remains the second largest global defence exporter after the USA. In 2021, the value of UK security export sales was £8.22 billion, and in that same year the UK won defence orders worth £6.64 billion.

Background

Since 1962, the UK has declared its nuclear deterrent to the defence of NATO, meaning that all NATO Allies benefit from the protection of the UK’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) under collective defence. Currently provided by the UK’s Vanguard Class submarines, while the new Dreadnought Class are in build at BAE Systems’ site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, the deterrent will continue to operate for as long as the international situation requires it.

Weighing more than 17,000 tonnes, Dreadnought will be 152.9 metres long – the length of three Olympic swimming pools – and carry 130 crew. The new optronics mast is an innovative evolution on the traditional periscope that provides improved electronic, stabilised, quality visuals for the crew. This makes it safer for the crew as it provides clearer images of activity and enables them to detect enemy movements more quickly.

Beyond the UK’s nuclear deterrent, Scotland is also home to some of the UK’s most crucial defence capabilities, including our Quick Reaction Alert based at RAF Lossiemouth, and a thriving defence industry with both Type 26 and Type 31 frigates currently in build in Scottish shipyards.

Nearly 200 organisations have been recognised by the UK Government for supporting the Armed Forces community, a record high since the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme launched in 2013.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, the highest badge of honour, recognises the positive role that employers play in supporting the Armed Forces community.

This year, organisations across a range of sectors including transportation, education, finance, and healthcare have been recognised in the awards. Of the Gold Award winners, 28% are either micro or small sized organisations, while 47% are large organisations with over 500 employees. This not only demonstrates the importance of the Covenant, but the skills and benefits that ex-service personnel can bring businesses.

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison said:

I would like to thank all the organisations that have been recognised in this year’s awards. I’m delighted that we have seen so many organisations recognised with a gold award. Their continued support demonstrates the unique benefits and strengths that our Armed Forces community can bring to the workplace.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, delivered by Defence Relationship Management has a current total of 641 holders. Organisations must reapply every five years to retain their Gold Award status.

To win a Gold award from the Ministry of Defence, organisations must provide 10 extra paid days leave for reservists, and have supportive HR policies in place for reservists, veterans, Cadet Force adult volunteers and the spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.

They must also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the Armed Forces community, by encouraging other organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and engage with the Employer Recognition Scheme.

This year, Marks & Spencer Plc, Motorola Solutions UK Ltd, Hilton and Toyota Manufacturing UK are among the household names that have been recognised, alongside many small organisations including the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Director of Corporate Affairs and Forces Community Network Sponsor at M&S, Victoria McKenzie-Gould said:

One of the things I’m most proud of as a colleague at M&S is our history of supporting our Forces. I’m proud that spirit lives on, led by our amazing Forces Community Network, who have helped steer us in just a few years from Bronze to now Gold accreditation in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. From working actively to recruit Forces leavers to giving reservists time off to play their part serving our country, it’s fantastic to see this recognised by the Ministry of Defence. Thank you to them and more importantly to our fantastic Armed Forces community.

CEO at Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Sharon Smith said:

As a Gold Award holder, we will continue to promote our advocacy via support and collaboration with members, through our events and via regular engagement with businesses across the two counties. We will also ensure that HR policies are updated, so that Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged; to include a comprehensive Reserve Forces Training Mobilisation policy.

Full list of Employer Recognition Scheme Award holders can be seen here.

The UK will provide 17 specialist firefighting vehicles to Ukraine’s fire and rescue services, primarily sourced from the Royal Air Force and Defence Fire and Rescue, with one provided by the Welsh Government.

Due to arrive in the coming weeks, the urgently needed equipment will help bolster Ukraine’s ability to respond to damage caused by Russia’s continued use of cruise missiles and one-way attack drones against Ukrainian infrastructure.

The specialist vehicles – Rapid Intervention and Major Foam Vehicles – were delivered from locations around the UK to RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire to allow RAF personnel to conduct the required preparations before their onward movement to Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

These specialist firefighting vehicles will boost Ukraine’s ability to protect its infrastructure from Russia’s campaign of missile and drone attacks and continue our support for Ukraine, for as long as it takes.

In the last week, personnel from 5001 Squadron have inspected and prepared the vehicles to make sure they are ready to conduct their role. Once those preparations were complete, 2 Mechanical Transport Squadron loaded the vehicles ahead of their journey to a designated delivery point.

In preparation of the vehicles’ arrival in Ukraine, members of the Ukrainian Military Fire Service conducted a week’s training at RAF Wittering. This was designed and delivered by the RAF and Defence Fire and Rescue to familiarise the Ukrainians on the vehicles before they operate them for real.

Defence Chief Fire Officer, Sim Nex, said:

The Defence Fire and Rescue family are extremely proud of the specialist support which we have been able to facilitate.

We are confident that the equipment provided to date, and associated training, will directly enhance firefighting capability, as we consider further opportunities to support the Ukrainian Military Fire Service moving forward.

This equipment is the latest in the UK’s programme of support for Ukraine, nearly 500 days after Russia launched its illegal, full-scale invasion. The UK committed £2.3 billion funding for military aid to Ukraine in 2022 and the Prime Minister has confirmed that this figure will be matched in 2023.

Air Commodore Jamie Thompson, Commander Global Enablement said:

Support to Ukraine, through training and the provision of equipment, remains a priority of RAF Global Enablement. We are proud to work alongside our allies in this effort, supplying specialist equipment and training to assure the safety of the Ukrainian people.

It follows previous donations to Ukraine of around eight tonnes of personal protective equipment for firefighting, along with other non-lethal aid including medical equipment and more than 100 industrial-strength generators.

• Accelerating work on advancing digital skills development across UK Defence.
• Delivering skills development and training to thousands of personnel across UK.
• Transforming digital skills across the whole workforce for military personnel and civilians.

Personnel across the Ministry of Defence will benefit from enhanced digital skills, as a result of a new partnership with Microsoft UK.

Accelerating digital learning at scale and pace, the programme will support The Digital Skills for Defence (DS4D) programme, helping transform the digital skills across the whole workforce; military, civilian, digital professionals and leaders.

This partnership will help upskill the MOD workforce through deeper collaboration with Microsoft UK, supporting the Government’s priority to grow the economy. The key elements are:

• Supporting the workforce in enabling training for Microsoft products and services.
• Helping to raise awareness of additional skills programs and resources that align with DS4D’s training objectives and support the programme’s skills and development pathways.
• Offering shadowing opportunities for Senior MOD staff to foster a culture of sharing best practice and adopting innovative digital approaches.

Earlier in the year, the programme hosted an event at the Microsoft Innovation Centre in London. It was attended by senior leaders in Defence and aimed to get them thinking about the changes needed to transform the wider Defence culture, increase levels of curiosity and create a step change in the ability to a work collaboratively across Defence.

The importance of Digital skills was a major theme of the day and it was clear that this is a topic that impacts everyone from the Chief of the Defence Staff through to a ‘day one’ recruit.

At the event, Claire Fry, Director Functional Integration commented on the need to ensure that Defence is digitally ready for the future:

Our ambition is to deliver and then continuously adapt a critical capability uplift for Defence through the delivery of a world class digital skills education programme for the whole workforce, our leaders and for digital professionals. This is fundamental to retaining our advantage and keeping ahead of our competition.

Our partnership with companies like Microsoft enables us to bring in leading edge digital learning for Defence, I’m delighted to have them on board.

The DS4D programme is a key driver in delivering critical digital skills capability uplift, for defence leaders, digital professionals and the whole Military and Civilian workforce. This is fundamental in building and retaining operational and business advantage, keeping up with and ahead of the competition. The ambition of the programme goes beyond education by looking to transform the learning culture and the way Defence works collaboratively.

There are also several other collaborative projects that will be developed to support the whole force at MOD to increase their digital skills and knowledge. Microsoft joins other key partners in supporting the MOD in transforming the way the whole workforce accesses digital learning.

MOD Chief Information Officer, Charles Forte said on this agreement:

The Digital Skills for Defence Programme is enabling us to build, support and drive digital capabilities within the MOD. The programme will future proof the role we have in continuing to provide world class defence against our adversaries whether that’s in the battlespace or the back office. We are driving our culture of digital innovation by teaming up with partners like Microsoft to provide our whole force with development and training opportunities.

Claire Barclay, Microsoft UK CEO said:

Almost every organisation I speak to is prioritising digital skills. When businesses invest in people, we all benefit; skills open doors for everyone. It’s an exciting time for the Ministry of Defence and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

• RAF Typhoon fighter jets to be equipped with one of the world’s most advanced radar.
• Additional upgrades will ensure jet can counter emerging threats.
• Supporting the Government’s priority to grow the economy this contract sustains 600 UK engineering jobs in Edinburgh, Luton and Lancashire.

An £870 million five-year contract has been awarded to BAE Systems and Leonardo UK to upgrade radar capabilities on the RAF Typhoon, fitting the fighter jets with one of the world’s most advanced radars – the European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2.

Following last year’s announcement at the 2022 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), in which Defence committed to a £2.35 billion investment to several upgrades for Typhoon, this is the first contract allocated from that major and complex investment and will see the completion of the development and integration of the ECRS Mk2.

The state-of-the-art radar will transform the Typhoon’s control of the air, bringing a world-leading electronic warfare capability which will allow the aircraft to simultaneously detect, identify, and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground. ECRS Mk2 will be integrated onto RAF Typhoon Tranche 3 aircraft and offered to other nations that operate the aircraft, boosting UK defence exports.

Supporting the Government’s priority to grow the economy, the £2.35 billion programme will sustain around 1,300 UK engineering job over the next 10 years. With the £870 million contract making up more than 600 highly skilled jobs across the country, including 300 at Leonardo’s site in Edinburgh, 100 electronic warfare specialists at the company’s site in Luton, and 120 engineers at BAE Systems’ site in Lancashire.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:

The RAF Typhoon is one of the most mission ready and capable aircraft anywhere in the world helping protect our skies at home and abroad.

This £870 million contract award is an investment in the future readiness and preparedness of our fighter jets, so that we can continue to showcase our world-leading air capability.

ECRS Mk2 will support operations in the most challenging situations, equipping pilots with the ability to suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming and to engage targets whilst beyond the reach of threats.

A prototype of the state-of-the-art radar is currently undergoing specialist testing at BAE Systems site in Warton, Lancashire.  This contract builds on that solid foundation, progressively turning that prototype equipment into a capability: a path that includes initial flight testing in 2024.

As well as delivering ECRS Mk2, the overall £2.35 billion investment includes the integration of the new radar onto Typhoon and delivery of a range of additional complementary upgrades and which together ensures Typhoon will continue to remain a potent weapons capability and enable it to counter emerging threats until 2040 and beyond.

Gp Capt Matt D’Aubyn, DACOS Control of the Air, Typhoon Programme Director said:

Typhoon is the backbone of UK Combat Air, capable of completing a wide range of Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface missions. ECRSMk2 will ensure Typhoon remains operationally effective in the future force mix in an ever increasing contested environment.

DE&S Director General Air, Vice Admiral Rick Thompson said:

This is the first of a number of contracts that will continue our journey to equip the RAF with the edge to protect our nation. Developing ECRS Mk2 not only provides cutting-edge capability but crucially, also ensures that advanced technical skills and expertise in delivering complex sensors are available to support the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) right here in the UK.

Andrea Thompson, Managing Director – Europe & International, BAE Systems Air, said:

The continued evolution of Typhoon as a world-class combat air platform ensures that the RAF maintains its advantage and protects the vibrant eco-system that supports our sovereign combat air capability in the UK, through sustaining and evolving the technical skills that are central to the UK’s future combat air strategy.

The radar is a prime example of the UK’s world-leading onshore technology, being developed by Leonardo UK in Edinburgh and Luton and integrated by BAE Systems in Warton.

The Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across all regions of the UK every year, contributing £1.4 billion to the economy annually.