Babcock nets $30M dry dock maintenance deal for UK’s QEC aircraft carriers

Defence company Babcock International has been awarded a dry dock maintenance contract from the UK Government for Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

As explained, the 10-year agreement will ensure the two warships – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales – are able to undergo dry dockings for planned maintenance and repair at Babcock’s Rosyth facilities, meaning the vessels continue to operate safely and remain available for defence operations, both for the UK and its allies.

“The Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers are the flagships of our Royal Navy and it’s crucial they remain ready to protect and defend the UK and our allies. Both carriers had their final construction in Rosyth, and I’m pleased they will return for their dry-dock maintenance, supporting vital jobs and skills in Scotland,” Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin said.

According to the officials, the work will help to sustain 300 jobs across the Rosyth facility and the wider supply chain, supporting the government’s levelling-up ambitions.

This is a significant milestone for big ship dockings at Rosyth, which was the integration site for the UK carrier build and assembly program from 2008 to 2019.  Babcock has invested more than £100million in skills, digitisation and site infrastructure over recent years at Rosyth.

The first planned activity will take place next year with a six-week work package.

HMS Prince of Wales recently supported Exercise Cold Response with its sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth carrying out training and exercises in waters close to the UK to keep it ready for operations anywhere in the world.

Alongside traditional maintenance practices, the ships’ docking period will further benefit from the digital transformation underway at the Rosyth site, which is already in place to support the build and assembly of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 frigates.