BAE Systems has received a $355 million contract to support the Royal Navy’s shared infrastructure, combat management systems and warship networks.
Under the award, the British defense company will maintain and modernize several solutions installed on a wide range of Royal Navy ships, including Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers and Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Work will include upgrading CMS featuring situational awareness, threat evaluation and weapon assignment, and navigation and blind pilotage capabilities.
The contract is part of RECODE, short for Real-time Combat System Open Data Enablers, an eight-year program that ensures the Royal Navy has the essential technology to meet current and future challenges.
RECODE comes with several core elements, including:
- ensuring safety, security and availability of combat systems in 20 ships used by the British naval force;
- installing BAE Systems’ CMS on the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, Type 45 destroyers and Type 26 frigates; and
- close cooperation with DE&S Maritime Combat Systems and Navy Command.
Steve Carter, naval ships combat systems director at BAE Systems, described the new contract as a new stage of the company’s partnership with the Royal Navy.
“The global threat picture, advances in commercial technology and the immense volume of data available to crews mean we need to become even more ambitious and far-reaching in our services and support,” the executive said.