Typhoon Aircraft Guaranteed Repair Contract Signed

BAE Systems, RAF CONINGSBY, Lincoln: BAE Systems has been awarded a contract worth £11.6m to provide a guaranteed repair service for key Typhoon aircraft components. 
 
This contract, awarded by the UK MoD, will enable better equipment planning and utilisation and improved availability of key aircraft components, while improving manpower usage and the supply chain process. This will bring overall savings to both the RAF and BAE Systems. 
 
The components included in this first incremental package include Typhoon’s nose radome, windscreen assembly and canopy assembly. 
 
The work will be undertaken by a joint team of RAF and BAE Systems employees based at RAF Coningsby. BAE Systems will manage the activity with RAF technicians undertaking the repair actions. Direct first line forward engineering support to the flying squadrons will continue to be provided by RAF personnel. 
 
The contract supports the underlying principles behind the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy by strengthening through-life support and ensuring continued retention of key skills in the UK. It is another significant step towards establishing a partnered through-life support solution for the Typhoon weapon system. 
 
This is the first in a series of four partnered support contracts, all of which will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the repair, maintenance and upgrade of components for UK Typhoon aircraft. The four contracts, which will deliver significant savings, are valued at approximately £227 million and cover a diverse range of over 1500 items from 26 aircraft systems. 
 
This particular contract, which runs through to the end of 2014, will see a progressive transfer of risk from the customer to BAE Systems with an incentive to reduce through life repair costs. 
 
The Typhoon Integrated Project Team Leader, Air Commodore Chris Bushell said: “This contract is a welcome addition to the support of the RAF’s Typhoon fleet. It will help to ensure that our aircraft are repaired in a shorter timeframe which means greater availability for flying and operational duties. Partnered support is very important to the future support strategy for Typhoon aircraft and I am committed to realising the tangible benefits to be brought from our partnership with BAE Systems”. 
 
Martin Taylor, BAE Systems Typhoon, Director of Aircraft Programmes said: “One element of our partnered support strategy is to provide the RAF with the best possible depth repair facility. This contract will enable better equipment planning and utilisation leading to improved availability of key aircraft components whilst at the same time improving manpower usage and the supply chain process, bringing overall savings to both the RAF and BAE Systems. 
 
By achieving this we are guaranteeing the RAF a level of service in key areas that will enable them to meet their operational tasks.” 
 
BAE Systems is the premier global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 96,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £15 billion (US $27 billion) in 2006, on a pro forma basis, assuming BAE Systems had owned Armor Holdings Inc for the whole of 2006.