1 minute read
News in Brief
from March 2023
by Desider
Three-year anniversary of first Poseidon P-8A arriving in the UK
DE&S is celebrating three years since the arrival of the first Poseidon P8-A in the UK. Procured for the RAF by DE&S, Poseidon is the RAF’s multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, specialising in anti-submarine warfare. Its purpose is to locate, identify, track and confront hostile vessels operating in UK waters.
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Air Commodore Simon Strasdin, Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force Commander, said: “Since the eagerly awaited arrival of the first aircraft, the RAF Poseidon fleet has been incredibly busy. From the Arctic to the Mediterranean, whether on patrol or performing longrange search and rescue sorties, the value and utility of this amazing capability to UK Defence is self-evident.”
Based at RAF Lossiemouth, the fleet of nine Poseidon aircraft was delivered on time by DE&S, along with the Atlantic Building, the fleet’s home, and a support contract worth more than £230 million.
Malcolm French, P-8A team leader at DE&S, said: “The Poseidon P-8A aircraft capability has increasingly made its operational mark. Most evidently, it has restored our island nation’s maritime patrol aircraft capability, monitoring the oceans to track potentially hostile subsurface and surface vessels. Poseidon has also been made available to assist other emergency services with coastal protection, such as illegal migration in the English Channel, as well as participating in live rescues of vessels in distress at sea.”
High mobility transporters contract award
DE&S has awarded Supacat a contract that will secure 70 high mobility truck variant (HMTV) Mk 2 Extenda platforms – meaning that the configuration of HMTVs can be changed between fourand six-wheel variants.
On completion of blast trials, this procurement will result in an uplift of 69 vehicles to the HMTV fleet used by the British Army. These platforms offer increased flexibility to Defence and their modular design means they can be used as either a
Jackal (L400) or Coyote (L600) vehicle. Brought into service under an urgent operational requirement, the vehicles provide British forces with an off-road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance and have been integrated into the British Army’s fleet of versatile, battle-winning capabilities.
Brigadier Matt Wilkinson, Head of DE&S’ Vehicle Support team in the Land Equipment Operating Centre, said: “These battle-winning and versatile platforms offer huge benefits to our troops on the battlefield. The HMTV is a British-built capability that continues to support UK jobs and ensures that the UK retains the crucial engineering and manufacturing skills required in the defence sector, which are key priorities under the British Army’s Land Industrial Strategy. I am delighted that we have secured this contract.”
