CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
EUROPE
LAND
01 Sep 08. The MoD has signed a major new deal to enhance training for the Royal
School of Military Engineering (RSME) at sites in Kent, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. A 30-year Public Private Partnership, worth some £3bn pounds, will improve essential training and provide significant investment for new and refurbished soldier accommodation, delivering around 1700
soldier bedspaces. The sites affected are the RSME Headquarters and Construction
Engineer School in Medway, Kent, the Combat Engineer School in Minley, Hampshire and the relocation of the Defence Explosives Ordnance Disposal School and National Search Centre from sites in Medway, to Bicester in Oxfordshire. From January 2009, military trainers will oversee private sector experts who will teach Royal Engineers skills such as bricklaying, construction and plumbing. This arrangement will free up 300 military personnel to the Field Army from the Training Division. The RSME Contract has been awarded to Holdfast Training Services, a consortium led by Babcock and Carillion. The consortium will be responsible for the delivery of training support, including equipment support, transport, retail, catering and leisure facilities across all sites.
03 Sep 08. General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas has been awarded a €64.6m ($102m)contract by the Spanish Government to supply RG-31 Mk5E mine protected vehicles for the Army. General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas is one of four companies that comprise General Dynamics European Land Systems. The contract calls for the delivery of 100 vehicles — 85 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), 10 Ambulances and 5 Command Post variants – plus integration of Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) turrets and ongoing integrated logistic support (ILS). Work under the contract is expected to be completed by 2009. The contract includes an option for a second phase for 80 additional vehicles that will include some manufacturing in Spain. General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas, as prime contractor, will provide program management, engineering and logistic support. BAE Systems Land Systems OMC of South Africa will supply the vehicles as a subcontractor to General Dynamics.
SEA
01 Sep 08. Hi-tech weapons handling system for new aircraft carriers. The Royal Navy is to get a hi-tech system to automate and track the movement of large quantities of munitions on board its two new aircraft carriers, thanks to a multimillion pound investment by the MoD valued at £34m. The contract to supply the Highly Mechanised Weapons Handling System (HMWHS) will be managed by Babcock International Group. Babcock has been engaged with Thales UK in the design development of the HMWHS. Babcock is the design authority for the technical solution being implemented; Thales is the systems integrator and Delegated
Design Authority, ensuring that the HMWHS fits within the overall ship design and meets stipulated requirements.
01 Sep 08. A contract to develop and supply Air Traffic Control (ATC) system
software for use on the ships has been awarded to Cobham Plc based in
Wimborne in Dorset valued at £5m. The contract was placed through ACA participant, BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technology Ltd. The ATC system will
enable the Air Traffic Controllers to provide safe and efficient
control of aircraft on the new carriers using a system that is
already used by the Royal Air Force and many other civilian and
military installations around the world.
01 Sep 08. A contract to supply the uptakes and downtakes systems for both
Carriers has been awarded to Darchem Engineering Limited in Stockton-on-Tees. These systems will supply air to and remove exhaust gases from the ships’ main gas turbine engines and other main and auxiliary diesel engines. Supply of uptakes and downtakes systems for both ships, valued at £8m.
01 Sep 08. A contract for Wholeship Pump Integration has been awarded to
DESMI Ltd based in Staffordshir