A £173 million Ministry of Defence training contract with British
business Draken will boost Teesside International Airport and
support jobs across Teesside, Bournemouth and the Midlands –
delivering on the Government's Plan for Change.
In addition to strengthening our national security, the deal will
maintain vital infrastructure in the North East and support more
than 200 UK jobs. The new contract will deliver Armed Forces
training for responding to a range of threats - including
air-to-air combat, electronic warfare and missile attacks.
Using a fleet of aircraft, Draken will simulate threats for UK
personnel, including:
- Air-to-air combat.
- Missile attacks.
- Attacks on ships from aircraft.
Defence Minister announced the deal today on a
visit to Teesside International Airport. The Minister spoke with
staff and apprentices, reinforcing the Government's commitment to
boosting national security and economic growth.
The project will help deliver the government's Plan for Change by
strengthening national security and supporting the mission to
kickstart economic growth. It also follows the launch of the
Defence Industrial Strategy, which will ensure the defence sector
is an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK.
Through live exercises with UK personnel over the North Sea,
Draken private pilots will replicate the tactics and techniques
of a range of adversaries.
Using the latest electronic warfare technology, Draken will also
train Royal Naval personnel to protect Carrier Strike Group
assets from air and missile attacks and train Army personnel to
quickly receive reconnaissance and intelligence information on
enemy forces from the air.
Altogether, this training will ensure that our Armed Forces
receive demanding and realistic training, meeting NATO standards.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, MP, said:
“This investment will deliver world-class training for our Armed
Forces and boost British business, jobs and national security.
“In line with our Plan for Change and upcoming Defence Industrial
Strategy, this deal with Draken will support 200 UK jobs and
ensure the future of Teesside International Airport.
“We are showing defence can be an engine for growth, in every
region and nation.”
To deliver the training, Draken will use 14 Dassault Falcon 20,
one Diamond DA42 and eight L-159E ‘Honey Badger' fighter jets
based at Teesside and Bournemouth. Draken will enrol a minimum of
12 apprentices at both sites.
Air Officer Commanding 1 Group, Air Vice Marshal Mark
Flewin said:
“Our partnership with Draken is of fundamental importance as we
continue to train and prepare all of our front-line forces to
meet emerging threats across the globe.
“The training delivered to date, simulating adversary threats
while also allowing us to train in a representative and contested
electro-magnetic environment, has never been more important to
ensure the Royal Air Force is ready and able to support NATO and
meet the threats of tomorrow.
“The contract will allow us to continue to evolve the high-end
training available for all of our front-line forces, as we look
to out-compete our potential adversaries.”
Nic Anderson, CEO at Draken, said:
“We are proud to continue serving the Royal Air Force, the Royal
Navy and the Army through the Interim Medium Speed Operational
Readiness Training Services.
“Our purpose is to provide leading edge operational training to
help the warfighter to be ready to fight and win. Through this
ground-breaking contract we will continually innovate to improve
their training experience.
“Thank you to the whole Draken team who work relentlessly to
support our customers, it is the high performance that the Draken
team delivers every day that has enabled this contract win.”
