BAE Systems, Babcock To Provide Aircraft Carriers Engineering Support Solution

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a 12 month £1.5 million contract to design the engineering support solution for the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

The contract award is part of the wider ‘Support Development Phase’ in which the Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems Maritime Services and Babcock will work together to provide an optimum and fit-for-purpose engineering support solution for the new Carriers.

BAE Systems and Babcock will be involved in four support development phase work-streams - Class Management, Design Management, Maintenance Management, and Information Knowledge Management. Under these work-streams BAE Systems and Babcock will design technical services and maintenance solutions to ensure the Carriers are available for their operational requirements.

Richard Dingley, Fleet Services Director at BAE Systems said: “This contract is a key stepping stone in organising a joint enterprise ready to support HMS Queen Elizabeth. Working with the Ministry of Defence, Royal Navy and Babcock Marine we will prepare the engineering solution ahead of the arrival HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers to arrive in Portsmouth. Together we aim to build an integrated support community, operating to ensure that the resources the new class of Carriers are in the right place at the right time – in Portsmouth and in operation around the globe.”

The Support Development Phase contract announcement follows news of £100M Government investment in the Portsmouth Naval Base site, upgrading and improving facilities and services in preparation of the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.