MoD
Awards Hercules Support Contract
Royal Air Force Lyneham
www.lyneham.raf.mod.uk
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Marshall
Aerospace of Cambridge a £1.52 billion contract to support
its fleet of Hercules transport aircraft which was agreed
and signed at RAF Lyneham on the 30th May 2006. The contract
will guarantee improved availability of aircraft to the RAF
over the next 24 years.
As prime contractor, Marshall
Aerospace will work in partnership with the Defence
Logistics Organisation (DLO), the Royal
Air Force, Lockheed
Martin and Rolls-Royce
to deliver the Hercules Integrated
Operational Support (HIOS) programme. The
contract will see up to 60 new jobs created in Cambridge and
will help secure work for the future for around 500 staff
at Marshall Aerospace who are currently employed in the support
of the Hercules fleet.
The contract covers all aspects of Hercules support. Depth
maintenance will be provided by Marshall Aerospace at Cambridge.
The Royal Air Force will continue to provide frontline forward
maintenance. These will both be supported by the Lockheed
Martin-led supply chain and propulsion system support from
Rolls Royce. Together, the Royal Air Force's Hercules fleet
will be kept available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year world-wide.
The RAF Hercules fleet is used to transport troops and to
evacuate medical casualties and has been used in almost every
major UK operation since its introduction into service in
1968. The versatile 'work-horse of the skies' has also been
at the forefront of humanitarian aid work across Africa and
recently in support of the earthquake relief mission in the
mountains of Pakistan.
Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: "This
contract will transform the way we support Hercules and will
see real benefits for our Armed Forces as it guarantees aircraft
to the front line, ready to fly, more of the time. It is an
excellent example of the Defence Industrial Strategy in action
where we are working more closely with industry to ensure
the future sustainment of a vital military capability. "
He continues, "The Hercules has a superb operational
record and our contract with Marshall Aerospace will ensure
that this continues. This contract is also good news for the
British taxpayer, saving in excess of £171m over the
next 24 years"
Group Captain Atherton, Station Commander of RAF
Lyneham, Home of the Hercules said: “We are very
pleased that the contract has finally been signed. RAF Lyneham
is determined that this will lead to a close working relationship
with our partners under HIOS. The HIOS partners are no strangers
to Lyneham which bodes well for the future; however, given
the ongoing operational commitments we must ensure that we
all work towards the same goal of delivering the right capability,
in the right place at the right time."
In line with both the Defence Industrial Strategy announced
in Parliament by the Secretary of State on 15 December 2005
and the MOD's Defence Logistics Organisation approach of partnering
with industry, HIOS will provide guaranteed levels of aircraft
availability whilst reducing cost and enhancing capability
to respond to new challenges.
The Defence Logistics Organisation is responsible for supporting
the Armed Forces throughout the various stages of an operation
or exercise; from training, deployment, in-theatre training
and conduct of operations, through to recovery and recuperation
ready for redeployment. |
