BAE Systems/Rolls Royce/GM/Ford Awarded Defence Contracts

Ministry of Defence (MOD) Awards BAE Systems with £85mn Contract

Supporting early design concept work for the Royal Navy, BAE Systems has been awarded an £85mn contract to develop the next generation of submarines. 

As part of the contract, BAE Systems will work to progress the early stages to deliver a replacement for the Astute class, helping to sustain the UK’s future underwater military capability and support 250 high-skilled jobs in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. 

“Marking the start of a new journey in submarine development, British designers and engineers will lead the way in building submarines for our Royal Navy. This multi-million-pound investment ensures that this vital capability will be ready to replace our Astute class submarines as they come out of service, whilst supporting high-skilled jobs across the Midlands and North West of England,” said Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence.

The contract was awarded to BAE Systems following the approval of a three-year programme Definition and Design phase for a capability solution, for the MOD’s Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC) programme. 

Working alongside SDA, Rolls-Royce, Babcock and partners, BAE Systems will work to develop a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines for the UK Royal Navy. 

"We’re very proud of our role in the delivery of the nation's submarine fleet and this contract further builds on our rich heritage. In what is the 150th anniversary year of our Barrow shipyard, we now have the opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with the Royal Navy long into the future. We’re looking forward to working with our partners and helping to deliver another strategically important and critical national defence programme,” said Steve Timms, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Submarines business.

US Air Force Awards Rolls Royce With US$800,000 Contract

Awarded a US Transportation Command contract, Rolls Royce North America will continue to demonstrate and develop revolutionary new software systems to maximise efficiency in managing air refuelling assets, improve mission availability, and reduce costs for the US. 

The Rolls Royce Air Refueling Optimisation and Planning SYstem (AROPS), will be part of a new suite of digital services known as TwinAlytix from Rolls Royce Defence. It will feature digital twin technology and digital analytics to improve customer services with advanced and secure software applications. 

The contract with the US Air Force is intended to increase air tanker availability and eliminate inefficiencies caused by disconnected systems and process challenges when it comes to complex air refuelling.

“The new AROPS software package will lead to significant improvements in the entire U.S. Air Force air refuelling enterprise. Rolls-Royce is proud to be leading the way in the aerospace industry in digital advancements with our new TwinAlytix® suite of offerings. We are focused on removing complexities and transforming operations for our customers,” said Darryl Roberson, Rolls-Royce Defense, Senior Vice President, Business Development.

General Motors (GM) Awarded US$36.4mn US Government Agencies Contract

GM Defense - a subsidiary of General Motors (GM) - has been awarded a contract from the US Department of State to develop and validate next-generation large support utility commercial vehicles (SUVs) for future fleet production in support of the Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). 

As part of the contract, GM Defense will create a purpose-built Heavy Duty Suburban, producing 10 vehicles in the next two years. 

GM Defense intends to use advanced manufacturing tools and techniques, including fixtureless assembly and flexible fabrication to increase efficiencies and quality in low volume production. The advanced technology is also expected to reduce overall costs and provide great flexibility and responsiveness to customer needs. 

“We’re excited to be developing a fully-integrated, purpose-built HD Suburban in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. The Chevrolet Suburban has been an iconic name in commercial transportation since 1935. Our development contract win speaks to our long-standing legacy of exceeding transportation capabilities and our new HD Suburban will deliver government-specific advanced mobility solutions to meet the needs of DSS,” said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense.

Ford Motor Company Pursues Zero Emissions for US Police 

Paving the way for electric mobility in the US’s police force, Ford Motor Company is piloting all-electric vehicles for Michigan State Police to drive zero emissions. 

The commitment comes as part of the company’s more than US$30bn investment in electrification plans through to 2025. 

Demonstrating that an electric vehicle can deliver strong performance and withstand demanding police duty cycles, Ford Motor Company is submitting an all-electric police pilot vehicle based on the 2021 Mustang Mach-E SUV. Ford will use this pilot as a benchmark, as it continues to explore purpose-built electric police vehicles in the future.