Defence

The UK Ministry of Defence has extended its existing support services model for the Royal Air Force’s BAE Systems Harrier GR7/7A ground-attack aircraft with the award of a new availability-based contract for the supply of structural and mechanical components.

Worth over £30 million ($52 million), the new agreement with BAE’s Customer Solutions Support business unit will cover the delivery of parts such as aircraft canopies and undercarriage doors for the GR7 and the Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier FA2 fighters, the latter of which will be retired from service next March. Logistics improvements to the RAF’s Harrier fleet are expected to deliver savings of more than £40 million by 2009 (Flight International, 25-31 January).