The Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP has
announced a £13.5m contract to BAE Systems for 60 new Pacific
24 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) during a visit to Portsmouth Naval
Base. This
next generation Pacific 24 Mark-4 will be deployed on Royal Navy ships
such as the Off Shore Patrol Vessels, as well as the new Queen Elizabeth
Class aircraft carriers due to arrive in Portsmouth in 2017. The RIBs
are the workhorse of the Royal Navy, deploying from ship or shore at
speeds of up to 38 knots (44mph) as a rapid response craft to perform
fast rescue, anti-piracy and counter-narcotics missions. |
The
high energy operations they perform means the strain on crews can be
huge. To tackle this, the Pacific 24 Mark-4 RIB will include high performance
shock absorbing seats which will minimise crew fatigue, allowing them
to travel up to six-times the distance.
A team of 19 BAE Systems employees will start work in early 2016 to
build the boats over the next four years at the Company’s small
boats manufacturing facility at Portsmouth Naval Base.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “These 60 new RIBs provide
a vital capability to the Royal Navy and are a clear benefit of the
£178 billion this government is investing in new military equipment.
“Built in Portsmouth dockyard this contract is not only good news
for the Navy, but also for BAE Systems whose innovation has provided
a modern design that will allow our armed forces to carry out operations
ranging from armed boarding including anti-piracy and counter-narcotics
missions to providing emergency rescue.”
Les Gregory, Product & Training Services Director at BAE Systems,
said: “Our focus for the next generation Pacific 24 was to extend
the operational capabilities of a boat’s crew through the use
of shock-absorbing seats designed to reduce driver and crew fatigue.
The fourth generation Pacific 24 RIB is a significant step-up from its
predecessors. It features a 370HP twin turbo diesel electronic engine
with inbuilt self-diagnostic technology. The boats have also gained
the Safety of Life at Sea accreditation meaning they can now be used
for rescue operations. |
