New £61m defence deal secures 100 jobs at Portsmouth Naval Base

The company has been supporting the £6bn fleet of Type 45s at the Portsmouth Naval Base since 2009.

The latest deal, signed off by the Ministry of Defence’s, Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S), will secure BAE’s future in the dockyard, supporting the Daring-class vessels for at least the next 12 months.

Defence minister Harriett Baldwin added it would sustain more than 100 jobs, saying: ‘Backed by a rising defence budget and a £178bn equipment plan, this new £61m contract will focus on maximising the availability of the Type 45s for operational duties while keeping costs to the MoD down.’

Andy Coxall, BAE’s programme director Type 45, said the contract was significant for Portsmouth.

‘It secures Portsmouth Naval Base support for the Type 45 for another 12 months with an option to extend for up to a further year, provides DE&S with significant savings whilst ensuring a high quality service, and creates a solid foundation from which to transition Type 45 support into the common support model,’ he said.