BAE Systems Wins £20 Million Contract For New Royal Navy Ships

BAE Systems has won a £20 million contract from the UK MoD to supply parts for the Royal Navy's 3 new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

The contract was announced on March 12, during the Minister for Defence, Philip Dunne’s to the company’s shipyards in Scotland. The first OPV is expected to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2017.

The contract will enable BAE Systems to begin work on parts such as the engines and gearboxes, which require a longer time to make and therefore have to be ordered in advance of the main shipbuilding programme.

“This £20 million is a significant milestone, critical to the successful delivery of these 3 vessels for the Royal Navy,” Mr Dunne said. “The OPVs will not only provide an additional capability for the UK but also, at its peak, the OPV programme will safeguard more than 800 vital skilled roles in the shipbuilding industry.”

OPVs can be used to support counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations in the waters around the UK and other UK interests abroad. In comparison with the current River Class ships, the new OPVs will be larger, with more storage and accommodation facilities and a larger flight deck for Merlin helicopters.