£3 billion contracts signed for largest ever UK warships

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£3 billion contracts signed for largest ever UK warships
Contracts to build two Royal Navy aircraft carriers, the largest and most potent warships to be designed and built in the UK, have been signed by the MOD and industry today, Thursday 3 July 2008.


The contracts, worth in the region of £3 billion, were signed with a new UK maritime joint venture, formed by BAE Systems and VT Group, called BVT Surface Fleet, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance onboard existing aircraft carrier and Fleet Flagship HMS Ark Royal at Portsmouth today, Thursday 3 July 2008.

The future aircraft carriers, to be named HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will dramatically improve the UK's ability to project expeditionary air power over the coming decades and will be a highly versatile and potent joint defence asset, able to meet the widest range of tasks.

The carriers are expected to enter service in 2014 and 2016 respectively; once they enter service they are expected to remain in the fleet for at least thirty years.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said of today's announcement:

    "This is a historic day for everyone in defence. The two aircraft carriers will provide our forces with the world-class capabilities they will need over the coming decades. They will support peace-keeping and conflict prevention, as well as our strategic operational priorities.

    "Today's contract signing seals the future for thousands of jobs, and ensures that we will have a Royal Navy fit for the 21st century."

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Baroness Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, added:

    "This is truly a national project, involving companies from the Clyde to the Solent. Construction work will create or sustain around 10,000 UK jobs at the peak of production.

    "I am delighted that we have signed the contracts for manufacture today and I look forward to first cutting of steel for this exciting project later this year."

Contracts authorised today encompass work worth:

    * £1,325m for the construction of giant sections of both ships by BVT Surface Fleet at Govan on the Clyde and Portsmouth;
    * £300m for the construction of giant sections of the ships at the BAE Systems yard at Barrow-in-Furness;
    * £675m for the bow section and final assembly and completion of the ships by Babcock Marine, with assembly taking place at Rosyth;
    * £425m for design and engineering for Thales UK;
    * £275m for design and supply of Mission Systems for BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technologies (Insyte).

Full article
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/3BillionContractsSignedForLargestEverUkWarships.htm