On June 2, 2020, British Company Babcock, the Aerospace and Defence company has released on its official website, that the company has been awarded a multi-million pound contract extension to manufacture a further 18 tactical Missile Tube Assemblies (MTAs) for General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB). It is part of the Common Missile Compartment (CMC) project for the UK Dreadnought class and US Columbia class submarine programs.
On June 2, 2020, British Company Babcock, the Aerospace and Defence company has released on its official website, that the company has been awarded a multi-million pound contract extension to manufacture a further 18 tactical Missile Tube Assemblies (MTAs) for General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB). It is part of the Common Missile Compartment (CMC) project for the UK Dreadnought class and US Columbia class submarine programs.
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Babcock Defense will manufacture tactical Missile Tube Assemblies for British Navy Dreadnought class submarines. (Picture source BAE Systems)
This highly specialized, internationally significant work reinforces Babcock’s position as a critical supplier of MTAs, utilizing its digital manufacturing skills and expertise to support the future deterrent submarine programs for both the UK and US Navies.
Defence Minister, Jeremy Quin, said: “This is a prime example of the capability of our defense industry to deliver specialized and complex manufacturing in support of an internationally significant programme. The contract extension will support 200 highly-skilled jobs in Bristol and Rosyth, building next-generation technology for our vital nuclear deterrent.”
Since 2014, Babcock has successfully secured competitive contracts with GDEB to manufacture 57 MTAs. The latest of these contracts included an option to supply an additional 18 MTAs, resulting in the recent contract extension.
This brings the total number of tactical MTAs that will be manufactured by Babcock for Electric Boat to 75, and will see Babcock’s work transition from the UK Dreadnought to the US Columbia programme.
John Howie, Chief Executive of Marine at Babcock, said: “We’re delighted to be awarded this contract extension, which is testament to the skills and capability of our workforce, as well as the quality of product we are delivering. This work will help support more than 200 cutting-edge manufacturing roles at Rosyth and Bristol until at least 2026.”
The Dreadnought class is the future replacement for the Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines of the British navy. Construction started in late 2016 at the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard operated by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines, when the first submarine was provisionally expected to enter service in 2028.
The Columbia-class submarine is a new generation of nuclear submarines designed to replace the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines in the United States Navy. The first submarine is scheduled to begin construction in 2021 and enter service in 2031.
