TANKS A LOT FOR JOBS BOOST
A SOUTH Wales factory has been awarded a £330m military contract, creating 125 jobs.
General Dynamics, the company building the Ajax light tank for the British Army, has been awarded the contract to develop a new battlefield communication system.
The contract will create the positions at the General Dynamics facility in Oakdale, and secures a further 125 jobs at the plant.
The company previously made the Army’s Bowman tactical communication system and this next generation version will be used to plan, deploy, manage and monitor communications and information for the Army, and will allow users to integrate new radios, applications and other system components faster and with greater ease.
It will connect soldiers on the ground to their commanders, giving improved access to operational IT and be simpler to use.
Steve Rowbotham, chief operating officer of General Dynamics UK, said: “Having delivered and supported the Bowman tactical communication and information system for the past 15 years from our site in South Wales, this contract marks the next chapter in our history.
“We are delighted that we will continue to develop and grow our existing employee skills base, whilst providing the UK Armed Forces with a leading edge battlefield communication system.”
The contract is the initial phase of the MoD’s Morpheus programme, which will give all three services modernised command and control networks using the latest technology.
General Dynamics will implement a new architectural approach called Evolve to Open, which allows new technologies to be rapidly integrated to tackle emerging threats and enhance interoperability with allies.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: “This £330m contact for the next generation of battlefield communications, supporting 250 high-skilled jobs, underlines the importance of Wales to our Armed Forces.
“Backed by a rising defence budget, last year MoD spent £870m with Welsh businesses helping to build a stronger economy and keep Britain safe.”
Brigadier Richard Spencer, head of the MoD’s battlefield and tactical communications and information system delivery team, said: “The transition partner contract is just the first of many procurement projects to deliver the Morpheus Evolve to Open baseline over the next few years.
“This first contract opens the door for numerous industry opportunities to contribute to the next generation of battlefield communications.”