LOCKHEED MARTIN UK AWARDED £642 MILLION CONTRACT TO UPGRADE WARRIOR VEHICLES

The Ministry of Defence has selected Lockheed Martin UK to lead a £642 million contract as part of the major £1 billion upgrade of the British Army's Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle. Lockheed Martin UK is also bidding into Kuwait for a similar Warrior vehicle upgrade programme. Under the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP), Lockheed Martin UK will be responsible for upgrades and enhancements extending the vehicles' service life to beyond 2040. WCSP will generate employment opportunities and support up to 600 jobs in the UK. "We are delighted that the MoD has selected us to lead this critical upgrade effort designed to maximize the investment made in Warrior vehicles to extend their lives into the 2040s" said Alan McCormick, vice president and managing director in Lockheed Martin UK's Ampthill business. "The WCSP will provide a highly capable vehicle to fulfil the British Army's current and future requirements. It will also strengthen our involvement in continued through life support for one of the British Army's major vehicle platforms. "As a result, we will be strongly placed to develop this capability for Warrior vehicles in Kuwait where, as in the UK, we will be working closely with partners in-country to deliver the programme." Leading suppliers on Lockheed Martin's Warrior Transformation Team (WTT) in the UK include Ultra Electronics; the Defence Support Group; SCISYS; Rheinmetall Defence; Curtiss Wright; Thales UK; Moog; Meggitt; CTA International; Westwire; TKE; MTL and Caterpillar UK. UK Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, commented: "As a key step towards meeting our requirements for Future Force 2020, the upgraded Warriors will give commanders and their soldiers greater flexibility and firepower. Not only is this fantastic news for the Army, it also represents a great boost to British Industry - sustaining jobs, skills and capability within the UK's armoured vehicle sector."