£52m equipment contracts placed

Friday, September 04, 2009

The Ministry of Defence has announced that sub-contracts worth over £52m for equipment for the two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers have been placed. As well as items such as washing machines and TVs, the contracts are reckoned to include highly sophisticated equipment that will make the ships fit for the Royal Navy in the 21st century.

The MoD also reported that the first units of the pre-fabricated units had arrived at the dockyard in Rosyth where they will be assembled.

Tony Graham, head of capital ships within the MoD's Defence Equipment & Support, said: "The vast majority of Queen Elizabeth Class supply contracts have now been placed. These latest orders begin to close out the few remaining supply agreements needed to finish HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales. Our supply chain stretches the length and breadth of the UK, and as such we recognise that the build of these two important warships is a national endeavour of great consequence for jobs, skills and local pride."

Among the contracts were £16m for 12,000 valves by Score Marine, £15m for an integrated waste management system managed by Babcock Strachan & Henshaw, £14m for water-tight fire doors by Marine Systems Technology, £3m for ship lighting and lighting distribution panels by McGeoch Technology, and £2m for glass reinforced epoxy pipes and fittings by Pipex.

Others were £790,000 for laundry equipment by Kempsafe, £500,000 for galley furniture by CED Fabrications, £484,000 for integrated Internet Protocol TV by Telindus, £343,000 for the design of the wireless communication system by Selex Communications, and £280,000 for cable transit frames by MCT Brattberg.