£70 Mln Destroyer Contract Secures Portsmouth Jobs

A £70 million contract to support the Royal UK Navy’s Type 45 destroyers will secure more than 100 engineering jobs.

The 2-and-a-half-year contract will protect around 100 highly skilled engineering jobs at BAE Systems in Portsmouth, the home port of the Royal Navy’s 6 Type 45 destroyers and future home of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Further jobs will be sustained in the company’s wider supply chain.

The contract will ensure the effectiveness of these complex and capable warships is maintained, ensuring they are fit to operate effectively around the world.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Philip Dunne, said:

“This £70 million contract is good news for Portsmouth. It will protect the skills of around 100 expert engineers and makes clear that the future of the city’s ship support industry is bright.

“Our Type 45 destroyers are the largest and most powerful the navy has ever had, featuring state-of-the-art equipment and weapons systems. It is essential that the ships receive top class support and Portsmouth has the skills needed to do this.

“There is no question that the shipyard will continue to play an important role in the city’s future.”

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Press Release, June 23, 2014; Image: UK Navy