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Around 315 jobs across the UK, including highly
skilled engineering roles, sustained by new £135 million
contract.
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BAE Systems will maintain and repair the Royal
Navy's Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes, keeping Britain's
underwater defences combat-ready.
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Part of Government's commitment to use defence spending
to deliver jobs and opportunities for local communities
across the UK.
Britain will be better protected from undersea threats
and hundreds of jobs will be secured through a
new £135 million contract to maintain and repair
Royal Navy torpedo weapons.
Torpedoes are one of the Royal Navy's most important tools for
keeping the UK safe at sea. Without them, Britain's ability to
defend its waters, protect trade routes
and maintain its nuclear deterrent would be at risk.
The contract will ensure sailors and submariners always have
reliable, battle-ready equipment when they need it.
Awarded to BAE Systems, the Torpedo Repair and Maintenance
(TRAM) contract directly supports 150 highly skilled engineering
and technician jobs at the company. This includes 100 in
Portsmouth and 50 more across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and near
Glasgow, while a further 165 jobs are supported through BAE's UK
supply chain.
The investment - part of the £298 billion over four years
announced under the Defence Investment Plan - furthers the
government's commitment to using defence spending to drive
economic growth in every postcode, creating well-paid, long-term
jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering across the UK.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry MP said:
This is defence spending doing exactly what it should
keeping our country safe while securing 315 skilled
jobs and creating new opportunities across our country.
We are proud to be backing British jobs, British skills and
British industry.
The three-year contract runs from July 2026 to June 2029. It
covers the Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes used by submarines,
surface warships and maritime
patrol aircraft to protect UK waters.
The contract bridges to a longer-term programme, WHITEHEAD2,
which will deliver a modernised torpedo support solution from
2029 onwards, keeping the Royal Navy ahead of future threats.
Rear Admiral Matt Stratton, Royal Navy Director Naval
Acquisition, said:
This contract extension ensures the Royal Navy retains a
safe, reliable and continuous torpedo support
capability.
It is a critical enabler of our operational readiness and
directly supports the UK's Continuous At Sea Deterrent.
, Director Lethality and
Protect, at the National Armaments Director Group Materiel,
said:
This contract extension secures continued, reliable support to
the UK's torpedo capability.
Bringing together the Navy, National Armaments Director Group and
industry as a single team has delivered real, tangible results
for UK defence.
Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems'
Maritime and Land Defence Solutions, said:
Since 2019 we have delivered consistently high levels of torpedo
availability for the UK Armed Forces, supporting both the
successful entry into service of Spearfish and the ongoing
operational readiness of Sting Ray.
As a trusted partner to UK Defence, we are proud to underpin the
nation's Continuous at Sea Deterrent and anti-submarine warfare
capability through exceptional
reliability, availability and performance.
