Around 100 Scottish defence jobs have been secured after BAE Systems won a £270 million contract to upgrade the Royal Navy’s torpedo systems.
The bulk of the work related to the Spearfish Heavyweight System project will be carried out at BAE’s Broad Oak maritime services base at Portsmouth where it will create 40 new skilled engineering jobs and sustain 100 more.
However, the contract will also have a significant effect north of the border where it will provide job security for around 100 staff at Defence Munitions Beith where torpedoes are processed, stored and supplied for the Royal Navy.
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell said: “This contract will support a significant number of skilled workers, their families as well as providing a substantial boost to the local economy.
“The UK’s defence industry is worth billions of pounds and generates economic benefits for communities right across Scotland, through jobs, contracts, and supporting services.”
The upgrade work, which has been tagged Spearfish Mod 1, is designed to extend torpedo life, improve safety and increase data links between the weapon system and the launch vessel.
BAE said: “Spearfish can be used in defensive and offensive situations and its advanced design delivers maximum warhead effectiveness at high speed with outstanding manoeuvrability, low radiated noise, advanced homing and sophisticated tactical intelligence.
“The torpedo can operate autonomously from the time of launch and is capable of variable speeds across the entire performance envelope.
“Its high power density bespoke engine allows it to attain exceptional sprint speed in the terminal stage of an attack.
“The result is an underwater weapon that provides decisive advantage against the full range of submarine and surface threats in all operational environments.
“Extensive in-water testing will demonstrate consistently high performance and outstanding reliability.”
A BAE spokesman said it expected to make initial deliveries of the upgraded hardware, which will be adopted across the Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute classes of submarine, in 2020.
“Upgrading the Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo will provide sophisticated advances for the Royal Navy with increased operational advantage in the underwater domain,” said John Hudson, managing director for BAE Systems’ UK Maritime Sector.
“The contract allows the opportunity to work on one of the most exciting development programmes in the country, underpinning BAE Systems’ position at the forefront of underwater systems development over the last 40 years.”
Announcing the new contract yesterday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said it was “good news” for the Royal Navy and the UK economy as a whole.
A total of 14 contractors, including principal BAE, are tied in to the Spearfish supply chain.