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Hundreds of defence jobs including roles in Bristol have been sustained following the agreement of a £460m logistics contract extension between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Boeing Defence º£½ÇÊÓƵ.

The five-year deal will see all services within the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Armed Forces have access to information systems software that will support essential engineering, inventory and financial management services, including the replacement of parts for transport vehicles and weapons.

Announcing the agreement, the MoD said the contract would help the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to successfully deploy military personnel and equipment globally.

Around 300 jobs will be sustained at Boeing Defence º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s Milton Keynes and Bristol sites, as well as a further 375 roles in the wider º£½ÇÊÓƵ supply chain including IBM, Fujitsu, Sopra Steria and BAE Systems.

Boeing has partnered with the MoD for logistics information services for more than a decade, and manages an ecosystem of 26 º£½ÇÊÓƵ-based technology partners and SMEs, as well as the integration of more than 100 software applications.

The follow-on contract, which was negotiated by the MoD’s procurement arm Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), is being delivered three months early and is expected to save £54m over the five years.

Head of support chain information systems at DE&S, Dave Penlington said: “Defence cannot mount or sustain operations without logistics information. This crucial capability will make our Armed Forces more agile and better placed to support future cutting-edge equipment.

“I am delighted that the team’s hard work alongside industry has ensured the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Armed Forces have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively.”