The £2 billion Astute Prime Contract is for three next generation submarines to replace the Swiftsure Class.
The Prime Contract is the first in the UK for a capital warship. This ‘total systems’ approach has made the incentives for industry much stronger and gives BAE Systems much broader boundaries for innovative design. There have been opportunities to give even greater focus to through-life support in line with the MoD’s Smart Acquisition Policy.
As a company, BAE Systems has considerable experience and expertise in providing on-going support to its customers. BAE Systems believes there is potential for a flotilla of these submarines and further contracts may be awarded, provided targets for cost and delivery are achieved.
Customer satisfaction has never been so important
About BAE SYSTEMS:
- An international company with annual sales of £12 billion
- Develops, manufactures and supports advanced military aircraft, ships, submarines and armed vehicles, plus weapon and control systems.
- A proven track record of complex systems integration.
- Benefits from over 130 years of shipbuilding experience.
- A global workforce of over 90,000, meeting the requirements of customers in 130 countries.
What is promised must be delivered
The UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy demands more than a ‘best in class’ – in Astute, they seek to push the boundaries of nuclear submarine technology and capability to new extremes. Only by focusing completely on the customer’s mission requirements can BAE Systems and the Astute team make Astute the one of the most powerful weapons in the water, with remarkable mission flexibility.
Astute is designed to be fast and stealthy, and in line with customer expectation will play a role in joint and autonomous operations. Fitted with the now proven Sonar 2076 (through the Swiftsure and Trafalgar update programme) Astute can operate and project power without leaving a trace – denying the enemy vital knowledge.
Mission accomplished
Astute may have posed some significant challenges, but our ability to meet customer requirements was demonstrated in the recent contract to refurbish Upholder Class submarines for sale to the Canadian Navy.
This work has been accomplished on time and to budget and the programme has demonstrated the company’s ability to work closely with its customers and with stakeholders such as the UK Ministry of Defence.
What has been learnt from Upholder, together with the drive and commitment to deliver, will be applied to other programmes, and what has been achieved illustrates clearly just what the team is capable of. Astute may be on a different scale – but this track record of technical excellence, coupled with a new sense of customer focus, stands us in good stead.
