The 15-year maritime sensor enhancement team contract will focus on equipment availability and problems prediction by leveraging artificial intelligence innovations and data management apart from supporting 18 types of equipment and about 10,000 line replaceable units
Thales secures £1.8bn contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to maximise the Royal Navy ship availability and resilience. (Credit: Royal Navy)
French advanced technologies company Thales has secured a £1.8bn contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to maximise the Royal Navy ship availability and resilience.
During the course of the 15-year maritime sensor enhancement team (MSET) contract, the Royal Navy will see major transition through the induction of the new Type 26, Type 31, Dreadnought platforms, and autonomous systems among others.
Thales’s contract will also focus on equipment availability and problems prediction by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) innovations and data management.
It will also sustain more than 450 highly skilled, UK-based, engineering, IT and supports jobs and hundreds of apprenticeship and training opportunities throughout the UK.
Furthermore, the contract will support 18 types of equipment and about 10,000 line replaceable units.
Upon the establishment of the improved MSET service, similar levels of service and availability will be accessible for the new platforms leveraging Thales’s sensors and systems coming into service.
MSET is expected to offer more stable support to the Royal Navy during the complex transition period.
Over the life of the contract, it will also deliver an average reduction in turnaround times of 100 days per repair, spares lead times by an average of 44 days, while improving reliability by 10%.
According to Thales, the investments will include enhancing facilities at HMNB Devonport, Portsmouth, Faslane, and Bahrain with an aim to establish an advanced testing and repair capability. This will enable specialist technical and engineering skills at the waterfront to provide the Royal Navy with direct support.
Thales UK chairman and CEO Alex Cresswell said: “Thales is delighted to strengthen our century long partnership with the Royal Navy and support its vital role in defending the UK and keeping the worlds critical sea lanes open.
“This £1.8 Billion contract with Thales will help keep more Royal Navy ships at sea for longer, by harnessing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, data analysis and improved dockland facilities.”