Thales wins £1.8 Billion contract

The contract, Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team (MSET), will sharpen the focus on equipment availability, predicting problems - through AI innovations and data management - rather than reacting when they emerge.

The contract will support over 450 highly skilled, UK-based, engineering, IT and supports jobs as well as many hundreds of apprenticeship and training opportunities all across the UK.

During the life of the MSET contract, the Royal Navy will undergo a significant transition including the introduction of the new Type 26, Type 31 and Dreadnought platforms, as well as autonomous systems.

MSET, a scalable service model, will provide greater stability and breadth in the level of support delivered to the Royal Navy during this complex transition period. ​ Investing in new dockland facilities, AI, data analysis tools, and skills, will deliver greater resilience for the RN platforms.

Over the life of the contract, it will deliver an average reduction in Turn Around Times of 100 days per repair, spare lead times will be reduced by an average of 44 days and reliability improved by 10%.

Data Driven Decision-making will enable MSET to see beyond the current support horizons and with the increased investment in emerging technologies, including AI, virtual reality and Big Data, create a more proactive and predictive maintenance regime.

Investments will include improving facilities at HMNB Devonport, Faslane, Portsmouth and Bahrain to deliver an advanced test and repair capability, allowing specialist technical and engineering skills at the waterfront to provide direct support to the RN.

It will create 450 high-skilled jobs all across the UK and support the training 100s of apprentices in much-needed engineering skills in numerous local communities, with a further threefold increase in supply chain spend, supporting approximately 1,200 additional staff.

    “Thales is delighted to strengthen our century-long partnership with the Royal Navy and support its vital role in defending the UK and keeping the world’s critical sea lanes open.

    This £1.8 Billion contract with Thales will help keep more Royal Navy ships at sea for longer, by harnessing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, data analysis and improved dockland facilities.

    Data-driven decision-making enables MSET to go beyond the current support horizons and make a substantial improvement in the availability and resilience of the Royal Navy while preparing for AUKUS, the landmark security and defence partnership between Australia, the US and the UK.

    This will be the third generation of Thales apprentices, engineers and support staff helping to keep the Royal Navy at sea in an increasingly unstable world.

    Alex Cresswell, Chairman and CEO of Thales in the UK.