MoD awards £52m worth of contracts

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded sub-contracts worth more than £52m for a wide range of equipment for two Queen Elizabeth Class Future Aircraft Carriers.

The two aircraft carriers will carry out a range of operations from high-intensity fighting to support for humanitarian relief.

The recently awarded sub-contracts will cover everything from everyday essentials such as washing machines and televisions to highly sophisticated equipment.

The largest contract, worth £16m, was awarded to Score Marine, based in Peterhead, for 12,000 valves.

The company employs 675 people at the site.

A contract worth £15m was awarded to Babcock Strachan & Henshaw in Bristol for an integrated waste-management system designed to meet future environmental standards.

The carriers will also be fitted with water-tight fire doors by Cheshire-based Marine Systems Technology through a contract worth £14m.

Lights and lighting distribution panels will be provided by McGeoch Technology, based in Birmingham, through a £3m contract.

The vesssels’ glass-reinforced epoxy pipes and fittings will be provided by Pipex, based in Plymouth, for £2m.

All laundry equipment will be supplied by Kempsafe, based in Southampton, for £790,000.

The gallery furniture will be provided by CED Fabrications, based in East Lancashire, for £500,000.

An integrated Internet Protocol TV by Telindus, based in Hampshire, will be installed on both carriers for £484,000.

Selex Communications was awarded £343,000 for the design phase of the carriers’ wireless-communication systems.

The company’s Basildon site will provide support and infrastructure for the radios.

The smallest contract, worth £280,000, was awarded to MCT Brattberg, based in Haslingden, Lancashire, for cable transit frames.

The UK's new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are being constructed by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA), which consists of Thales UK, BAE Systems, BVT Surface Fleet, Babcock and the MoD.

The carriers will together provide four acres of sovereign territory with global access.

The flight deck will support an air wing that is expected to have the capability to deliver significant offensive air power to support the battle ashore for prolonged periods of time.

It is designed to provide a base for the UK version of the future fifth generation of the US Joint Strike Fighter.

The carriers will each weigh 65,000 tonnes and measure 280m long and 70m wide.

Each ship will be capable of travelling at 25 knots and will hold approximately 1,500 personnel.