12 Feb 2025 – Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) has awarded Thales in the UK a major contract to maintain the Royal Navy’s internal and external fleet communications and provide global 24/7 support operations for the next 10 years.
This investment is one of the largest in naval communications across Europe.
The announcement for Maritime Communications Capability Support (MCCS) secures around 100 high skilled UK jobs sustained.
The Royal Navy’s fleet communications systems are being maintained to support combat capability after one of the largest investment in naval communications across Europe. The announcement for Maritime Communications Capability Support (MCCS) secures around 100 high skilled jobs at Thales and the new arrangements are estimated to save the Royal Navy up to £30m in through life costs over the next decade.
Communications systems on Royal Navy Units are a critical component of a platform’s ability to operate and fight; any failure or degradation of these systems places significant risk on the Royal Navy’s ability to fulfil Defence Outcomes. To meet and sustain global Royal Navy operational commitments requires resilient and enduring support contracts to maintain mission critical equipment at the highest levels of operational capability and availability.
The MCCS arrangement replaces the previous Fleetwide Communications contract which Thales in the UK has overseen for the past seven years.
Thales in the UK will also provide “waterfront” office services, obsolescence recovery for aging equipment and inventory management, ensuring spare part availability and ongoing defect repairs as required.
A key element to the contract is the slashing of red tape through closer collaboration between DE&S, the Royal Navy, and Thales in the UK, effectively delivering a “one defence” team which massively reduces bureaucracy while boosting efficiency. Thales in the UK is awarded the freedoms and autonomy to make informed decisions on equipment replacement to sustain capability long-term to the benefit of the Royal Navy.
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