The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a follow-on support arrangement contract with Airbus Helicopters for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Puma 2 fleet.
Under the terms of the contract, worth an initial £100m, Airbus will be responsible for providing support services over the planned service life of the helicopter fleet.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Subject to the agreement of both the organisations, it also includes a provision to be extended until the currently planned out of service date March 2025.
UK Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin said: “This £100m investment will ensure our Puma helicopters continue to transport British troops and kit to the front line – helping us provide vital support quickly in rapidly evolving situations.
“The deal – part of our £178bn equipment plan – will not only give our armed forces the kit they need to deal with intensifying global threats but will also sustain British jobs at Airbus Helicopters.”
The current contract is the first of two pricing periods under which Airbus Helicopters will deliver complete technical support and logistics until March 2022.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe company will also supply repair and overhaul services along with a parts-by-the-hour programme, ensuring high availability with stable, value for money maintenance costs.
The scope of the project also involves the provision of training to all avionics and mechanical technicians, as well as engineering managers of the Puma fleet.
Awarded under single-source regulations, the follow-on contract builds on the previous interim support arrangement under which the company provided support to the RAF aircraft since the first upgraded helicopter entered service in 2012.
