With the Royal Navy growing and Britain’s flagship
carrier now set to enter her new home, Defence Minister has announced a £48 million
contract for next-generation workboats which will support both
British ships and British jobs.
The fleet of up to 38 workboats will assist Royal Navy ships from
UK bases and on operations all over the world.
With Britain’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth
Carrier set to enter her new home in Portsmouth in under two
weeks time, tasks to be carried out by the boats will include
transferring personnel to and from both of the UK’s carriers.
Able to carry up to 36 passengers at one time, the workboats can
be stowed inside the Carriers and winched to and from the water
using on-board lifting equipment, allowing them to support the
enormous ships either in port or on operations.
Building and supporting the boats will also sustain 60 British
jobs, including 15 at Atlas Elektronik UK near Dorchester in
Dorset where the boats will be built. A further 45 jobs will be
sustained across the supply chain, including at E P Barrus in
Bicester, KPM-Marine in Birmingham and Mashfords in Plymouth.
Defence Minister said:
From the south coast to the banks of the Clyde, British
shipbuilding is ensuring that our growing Navy has the reach it
needs to protect our interests around the globe. These
cutting-edge workboats will support the likes of our iconic new
aircraft carriers and the Type 26 frigates, as well as
sustaining 60 British jobs. This is another step in our £178
billion plan to provide our Armed Forces with the very best
equipment to keep our country safe."
Ranging in length from 11 to 18 metres, the boats will also
perform other tasks including officer and diver training,
Antarctic exploration and explosive ordnance disposal.
They are highly adaptable to operational demands thanks to
their cutting-edge modular design elements. For example, if the
Royal Navy wished to quickly redeploy a boat from hydrographic
survey duties to support diving for explosive ordnance, the
survey module can be quickly lifted out of the boat and
replaced with the diving module containing the high pressure
air required for that task.
The contract will enable the design and construction of up to
38 boats as well as in-service support for the fleet for a
further two years after the final boat is accepted. The first
boat will enter service next year.
Chief Executive Officer of Defence Equipment and Support, the
MOD’s procurement organisation, Tony Douglas said:
These boats use modern materials and have been designed from
the keel up to provide the Royal Navy with unparalleled
flexibility and adaptability.
DE&S is proud to maintain excellent working relationships
with partners across UK industry, ensuring our Armed Forces
continue to be provided with the equipment they need while
also maintaining vital British skills and jobs.
The boats will all feature glass-reinforced plastic hulls and
advanced twin waterjet propulsion. Despite their varying roles,
they will all have the same steering and control system,
reducing the need for training and making them simpler to
operate.
