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| Thales wins MoD contract for servicing electronics of Royal Navy fleet | Thales wins MoD contract for servicing electronics of Royal Navy fleet |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £600m contract to the French defence and security group Thales to service the electronic "eyes and ears" of the Royal Navy's fleet of ships and submarines. | The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £600m contract to the French defence and security group Thales to service the electronic "eyes and ears" of the Royal Navy's fleet of ships and submarines. |
| The 10-year deal concerning maintenance of the sensor systems of the Royal Navy's fleet will apply to 17 systems, including the Astute, Trafalgar and Vanguard class of submarines as well as Type 45 warships, Type 23 frigates and the Hunt and Sandown class of mine-hunting ships. Thales will provide worldwide support and repairs for the navy's sonars, periscopes and electronic surveillance equipment. | The 10-year deal concerning maintenance of the sensor systems of the Royal Navy's fleet will apply to 17 systems, including the Astute, Trafalgar and Vanguard class of submarines as well as Type 45 warships, Type 23 frigates and the Hunt and Sandown class of mine-hunting ships. Thales will provide worldwide support and repairs for the navy's sonars, periscopes and electronic surveillance equipment. |
| Philip Dunne, minister for defence equipment, support and technology, said the work carried out by Thales would give the Royal Navy a vital technological edge around the world, safeguard 530 skilled jobs in the UK and generate £140m of savings for the taxpayer over the life of the contract. | Philip Dunne, minister for defence equipment, support and technology, said the work carried out by Thales would give the Royal Navy a vital technological edge around the world, safeguard 530 skilled jobs in the UK and generate £140m of savings for the taxpayer over the life of the contract. |
| He said the deal demonstrated "how significant a role defence has to play in the growth agenda". | He said the deal demonstrated "how significant a role defence has to play in the growth agenda". |
| The deal is an extension to a support contract originally signed in 2003, and is expected to sustain 230 Thales jobs as well as 300 jobs within the extended supply chain. The MoD/Thales operation will be based at Abbey Wood in Bristol, with support from naval bases at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Faslane, as well as Thales sites in Glasgow, Manchester, Somerset, and Crawley. | The deal is an extension to a support contract originally signed in 2003, and is expected to sustain 230 Thales jobs as well as 300 jobs within the extended supply chain. The MoD/Thales operation will be based at Abbey Wood in Bristol, with support from naval bases at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Faslane, as well as Thales sites in Glasgow, Manchester, Somerset, and Crawley. |
| The MoD said the contract would make savings because of efficiencies gained from combining several existing contracts, new performance targets for Thales, and lower cost technologies. | The MoD said the contract would make savings because of efficiencies gained from combining several existing contracts, new performance targets for Thales, and lower cost technologies. |
| Dunne, who is responsible for an annual budget of about £14bn, said the MoD was examining its entire portfolio of contracts to see where further savings could be made, particularly on contract renewals or upgrades. | Dunne, who is responsible for an annual budget of about £14bn, said the MoD was examining its entire portfolio of contracts to see where further savings could be made, particularly on contract renewals or upgrades. |
| He added that the MoD was working to ensure that Britain could combine where possible its civil and military capabilities, to save money and to improve export opportunities for UK based companies. | He added that the MoD was working to ensure that Britain could combine where possible its civil and military capabilities, to save money and to improve export opportunities for UK based companies. |
| "We think that if we encourage companies to think in those terms when they bid for equipment that we're looking to buy, that will enhance the prospects of that equipment also achieving sales in other countries which will help bring the cost down to us, keep the production line longer, make spares cheaper and sustain and build jobs in the UK." | "We think that if we encourage companies to think in those terms when they bid for equipment that we're looking to buy, that will enhance the prospects of that equipment also achieving sales in other countries which will help bring the cost down to us, keep the production line longer, make spares cheaper and sustain and build jobs in the UK." |
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