The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded BAE Systems a five year contract worth £43.9 million to ensure the RAF’s VC10 tanking and transport fleet is available on the frontline to meet operational requirements.
Under the incentivised contract, BAE Systems will take responsibility for much of the ‘on-base’ VC10 engineering, logistics and technical support, including engineering bays at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire which are currently managed by Serco.Carl Loller, BAE Systems’ In Service Support Director, Large Aircraft said, “ This is one of the most advanced availability contracts yet developed as part of the UK Defence Industrial Strategy. It will allow us to improve aircraft availability for front line RAF VC10 crews, while reducing the budget impact for the UK tax-payer”. This latest contract, part of the successful JAVELIN (Joint Approach to VC10 Engineering and Logistics Integration) signed in 2003, has been developed in partnership the MOD’s Defence Equipment & Support organisation. It see’s both partners share potential benefits and risks within the programme. BAE Systems will use its supply chain and engineering capabilities to sustain VC10 availability through to the aircraft’s eventual out of service date. The contract includes post-design services, air refuelling equipment, spares and spares inclusive repairs as well as the disposal of airframes at the end of their service life. This new contract further strengthens BAE Systems support to the UK’s front line and training aircraft. Under the £1.3bn Tornado ATTAC (Availability Transformation: Tornado Aircraft Contract) programme the Company has responsibility for “depth” support at RAF Marham, ensuring that aircraft are provided to the front line when they are needed. The £74m Hawk Integrated Operational Support (HIOS) contract sees BAE Systems boosting maintenance and technical support for the RAF and Royal Navy’s fleet of Hawk TMk1 aircraft, ensuring agreed levels of sorties can be carried out by the UK’s key training aircraft, while saving costs of over £14m. BAE Systems is currently delivering a number of partnered support programmes to the Joint Force Harrier fleet including the Joint Upgrade & Maintenance Programme (JUMP) at RAF Cottesmore. JUMP combines essential maintenance with the upgrade of the aircraft from GR7 to the GR9 standard. Similarly at RAF Coningsby, BAE Systems has a £11.6m contract to provide a guaranteed repair service for key Typhoon aircraft components, enabling better equipment planning and utilisation and improved availability of key aircraft components. |
