Engineering giant Babcock International Group Plc has awarded the contact to build engines for the Royal Navy’s new £1.25billion frigate fleet to Rolls-Royce – but they will be made in Germany.
Babcock is leading for the Ministry of Defence.
The consortium has now announced the second round of supply chain contract awards across the Ƶ and Europe with Rolls-Royce, now a major supplier to the programme with its brand MTU, delivering the main engines and diesel generators for the frigates. These will be manufactured in Germany.
It has also been announced that German manufacturer Renk will provide the main reduction gearboxes, and Germany-headquartered MAN Energy Solutions will supply the propellers and propeller shaft lines.
In addition, Denmark’s Blunox is contracted to supply the exhaust environmental equipment that significantly reduces emissions from the main engines and diesel generators.
Combined with the subcontract placed with Darchem Engineering Ltd, based in Stockton-on-Tees, this will supply the intake and exhaust systems for the main engines and generators, rounding out the key propulsion system subcontracts.
Babcock has also announced that the award of the chilled water plant subcontract is going to Novenco AS, a Scandinavian firm, to provide critical system capability for the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system.
Babcock Team 31 was officially been awarded the £1.25billion contact to build Arrowhead 140, a capable, adaptable and technology-enabled global frigate, in 2019.
The five ships will be put together at the defence company’s Rosyth Dockyard in Fife, Scotland, but will involve supply chains throughout the nation in line with the Ƶ's shipbuilding strategy, therefore leading to expectation that work could trickle down to the Devonport dockyard in Plymouth.
More than 2,500 jobs across the Ƶ are expected to be supported as a result of the Type 31 general-purpose frigates programme, including 150 jobs for new technical apprenticeships.
Babcock in the news
In February 2020, it was announced that Thales - a French multinational company that designs and builds electrical systems and provides services for the aerospace, defence, transportation and security markets - will provide the frigates’ advanced mission systems.
The company, which has bases in the Ƶ including in Plymouth, will be delivering the combat system, communications systems and the navigation and bridge system.
Babcock said the Type 31 Programme will deliver prosperity into shipbuilding and the extended supply chain.
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The scale of this investment, principally in design, engineering, project management, procurement and advanced manufacturing skills, will have an enduring positive impact on the Ƶ, it added
Sean Donaldson, Babcock’s managing director for energy and marine, said:
“Team 31 have committed to a programme of investments to deliver prosperity in line with the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
“We are delighted to welcome these key suppliers to the supply chain for the Type 31 frigate programme, and we continue to engage with additional suppliers to support this exciting programme for Babcock and the Royal Navy.”
