LOCATIONS
LAND
14 Aug 13. Training Facilities: Contract Extension. Landmarc Support Services announced (14 Aug 13) that the Company has been awarded a £110m contract extension with the MoD until July 2014, with an option to extend for an additional six months. Landmarc will continue to manage military training facilities across the MoD’s 160,000 hectares of UK training estate, as it has done since 2003. The contract covers more than 120 sites, including over 8,000 buildings worldwide.
Comment: The above interim arrangements are to cover the period until bidding for the Next Generation Estate Contracts (NGEC) programme is completed. The NGEC prime contract will be worth between £450m and £950m over a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10. The three short listed bidders are: Babcock Support Services; Kellogg Brown & Root with Balfour Beatty Workplace and Landmarc. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13)
13 Aug 13. Surplus Facilities: Planning Approvals. The MoD advised (13 Aug 13) that three major planning approvals have been granted; allowing the sale and redevelopment of surplus military facilities in the South of England. The three sites are at Worthy Down, Hampshire; Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, Surrey and the land known as the Aldershot Urban Extension.
Comment: The redevelopment of Worthy Down includes the construction of a training college for the Defence College of Logistics and Personnel Administration. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is awaiting final bids for an Industry partner to construct the new college campus. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13)
14 Aug 13. RAF Lossiemouth: From Tornado to Typhoon. RAF Lossiemouth held an open day (14 Aug 13) to inform local civic dignitaries and media of forthcoming changes, as the Station prepares for the transition from Tornado to Typhoon aircraft. One hangar (Hangar 3) has already been renovated in preparation for the arrival of 1 Squadron in August/September 2014. A further hangar (Hangar 1), the former home for 12 (Bomber) Squadron, is to be renovated for the arrival of 6 Squadron in May/July 2014. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13)
Comment: Teams are in place at RAF Leuchars and RAF Lossiemouth to co-ordinate the RAF Scotland Transition Programme. The decision to move the Typhoons to RAF Lossiemouth is said to secure “the future of the Station as the main RAF operating base for the North of England and Scotland”.
(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13)
16 Aug 13. RAF Valley: Ministerial Visit. The RAF website noted (16 Aug 13) that the Defence Equipment Minister visited RAF Valley to see demonstrations of the UK.s military flying training system (UKMFTS) and the Hawk T2 advanced jet trainer.
Comment: On 12 Jun 13 the RAF announced that the first four RAF pilots had graduated from Advanced Fast
Jet Training Course 01. The training system at Valley employs both Service and civilian instructors, using a
range of simulators. UKMFTS is said to have “delivered a revolutionary new approach to military fast jet flying
training”. The new course involves some 120 hours of live flying and a similar amount of „synthetic. hours. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13) (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/33, 19 Aug 13)
14 Aug 13. AgustaWestland To Expand Its Facilities In Brazil. AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that its Brazilian subsidiary AgustaWestland Do Brasil is to undergo a major expansion with the building of a new facility in Sao Paulo which will include maintenance hangars with space that could accommodate a helicopter final assembly line, training centre, bonded warehouse, workshops and other supporting services including a dedicated heliport. Construction of the new facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.
12 Aug 13. Scores of jobs will be created in Brou