MOD safety and training vessels deal

A major deal to support and supply range safety and aircrew training vessels to the MOD has been signed between John Hayers, Deputy Head Ships Commercial within Defence Equipment & Support and Paul de Jong, Managing Director Smit International (Scotland) Ltd, part of the Boskalis Group.

The new seven year contract with a value of £39M will provide Range Safety patrol vessels at military firing ranges that have a maritime boundary and marine support to Tri-Service Aircrew Training across the Ministry of Defence. It is set to begin in April this year and will run for five years until March 2023, with an option to extend. It will provide programmed tasking for helicopter training, sea survival drills, target towing, fast attack craft simulations and range safety.

It replaces an existing agreement with Smit International (Scotland) Ltd that has been in place since 2002. The outputs will have a direct impact on supporting the operational readiness of military personnel across all three Services.

“The contract, procured through competition, will deliver significant cost savings in the region of 20%, as well as a number of performance benefits for the customer end-user,” said John Hayers, Deputy Head Ships Commercial for DE&S. “We look forward to continuing to work with Smit International (Scotland) Ltd building on previous successes”.

Smit International will operate a total of five medium sized and nine smaller fast patrol type craft to support range safety and aircrew training across the country at locations in Scotland at Buckie, Blythe, Grimsby and Lowestoft on the East coast of England, Dover, Portland and Plymouth on the South coast and in Wales at Pembroke and Holyhead.

Paul de Jong, Managing Director, Smit International (Scotland) Ltd said:

“We are very pleased to continue to be of service for the next 5 years and maybe more. We look forward to build on our successful cooperation for the years to come”.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Range Safety - 9 Purpose-built Fast Patrol Craft – 12 metres in length - 28 knots –

4 passengers – crew of 2.

Smit Stour, Smit Rother, Smit Romney, Smit Cerne, Smit Wey, Smit Frome, Smit Merrion, Smit Penally, Smit Neyland.

Aircrew Training - 4 Purpose-built Workboats – 27 metres in length – 19 knots –

12 passengers plus 4 instructors – crew of 6.

Smit Don, Smit Dee, Smit Yare, Smit Spey.

Passenger - 1 Purpose-built Craft– 27 metres in length – 20 knots – 36 passengers plus 4 instructors – crew of 6.

Smit Dart.

Imagery is available to download from www.defenceimagery.mod.uk.

Keep up with news and updates from HMNB Portsmouth by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@HMNBPortsmouth)