MoD contracts worth more than £300m to support 600 UK jobs
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New contracts worth more than £310 million will upgrade Typhoon jet tracking capabilities and support 600 jobs across the UK, Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have said.
The fast jet fighter radar procurements total £317 million, with two-thirds going towards Scotland-based premises.
The contracts mean will be Typhoon aircraft equipped with next-generation technology to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming.
Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: “It is vital that our Armed Forces are equipped with the latest technology to counter emerging threats from our adversaries.
“Today we announce the investment in the latest in radar technology for our fighter jets.
“This demonstrates our commitment to maintaining security in the air whilst supporting highly-skilled jobs across the UK.”
The integration of the new European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 will provide a capability edge in what has been described as an “increasingly contested battlespace”.
Typhoons are designed to be continuously upgraded to meet operational demand.
The ECRS Mk2 will allow the aircraft to simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground in the most challenging environments.
Two-thirds of the jobs supported by the new contracts will be in Scotland – 300 at Leonardo in Edinburgh and 100 at BAE Systems in Dunfermline, Fife.
The contracts will also support 100 jobs at Leonardo’s Luton site, 120 at BAE Systems’ site in Lancashire and 50 at sub-contractor Meggitt in Stevenage.
Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “This £317 million radar contract and the 400 jobs in Edinburgh and Dunfermline it supports clearly shows yet again that not only does defence play a crucial part in the security of the United Kingdom, but it also significantly contributes to Scotland’s prosperity in high-skilled employment and investment.
“Our nation has a proud military history and UK Government defence investment here will ensure there is a bright future with latest Ministry of Defence figures showing that procurement spend in Scotland has risen to £1.76 billion a year, supporting more than 10,000 Scottish industry jobs.”
