Babcock wins CESM in-service support contract from U.K. MOD

Babcock, the through-life defence support specialist, has been awarded a long-term contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide in-service support to Eddystone, the Communications Electronic Support Measures (CESM) system for submarines. The award re-confirms Babcock as the UK centre of excellence for the support of CESM capability. Babcock has been delivering above-water CESM support for ten years. This in-service support team represents the largest single body of in-service expertise for this type of capability in the UK and is acknowledged to be flexible in its approach, and provide cost and delivery effective support to the highest standards. This expertise will be built on in delivering Eddystone in-service support. The Eddystone system was designed, developed and installed by Babcock under a previous competitively won contract, and Babcock is the system Design Authority; a role it will retain for the overall system. Under the Eddystone In-Service Support Contract, effective from December 2009 until 2013, Babcock will manage and supply a range of services. In addition to the role of design and integration authority, the company will provide engineering support, integrated logistics support, capability insertion and obsolescence management, and configuration management. Engineering support will include routine maintenance, worldwide operational defect support, a helpdesk providing technical and engineering advice, and software support, as well as maintenance of the secure compartment facilities in Devonport, and ensuring that systems are operationally ready when deployed. The integrated logistics support role will include spares and repairs management, including procurement (either undertaking repairs through its own specialist facility or using specialist subcontractors); obsolescence reporting; reporting and analysis of equipment failures; and storage of classified material. Babcock will also work with the MoD over the life of the equipment, through capability working groups, to ensure that solutions to changing threats are identified, to inform the MoD decision-making process. Babcock has established an exceptionally strong long-term relationship with the US equipment supplier and the companies will be working together to enable more work to be done by Babcock engineers in the UK, thereby contributing to a more cost-effective support solution.