Friday 21 February, 2025

BAE Systems to support Royal Navy combat management systems

BAE Systems announced on 28 January that it has been awarded a GBP 285 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to support the Royal Navy’s Shared Infrastructure, Combat Management Systems (CMS) and warship networks.

Known as RECODE, the eight-year programme will see BAE Systems maintain and modernise CMS on Royal Navy vessels, including Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and Type 26 frigates. This aims to ensure that the Royal Navy’s fleet is armed and ready for evolving military challenges and is tailored to meet future operational needs while delivering a modernisation programme at pace to enable the agile deployment of capabilities.

The CMS serves as the principal means for Royal Navy personnel to engage with weapons and sensors. This system aids operators in their decision-making and enabling tasks by offering a variety of tools, which include: situational awareness, compilation of the tactical picture, threat assessment and weapon allocation, navigation and blind piloting, as well as weapon direction and control.

Steve Carter, Naval Ships Combat Systems Director, BAE Systems, said: “RECODE represents a huge stride forward in our partnership with the Royal Navy and will help to realise warfare capability of the future. The global threat picture, advances in commercial technology and the immense volume of data available to crews means we need to become even more ambitious and far-reaching in our services and support. We are excited and privileged to secure this programme that will sit at the heart of the Navy’s ambition to be a protean force.”

Commodore Phil Game, Interim Director of Sense, Decide and Communicate, DE&S, said: “This is an essential programme that will sustain current combat management systems on board in-service Royal Navy vessels, to enhance their capability and make them fit for the future. This new programme will ensure that at their core, the systems are evergreen, robust and flexible.”

“Through our close collaborative work with industry colleagues, this contract will also help to upskill the programme’s workforce and sustain UK jobs. The improvements made will be instrumental in making the UK Royal Navy more agile and more capable in our rapidly changing global Defence environment.”

Captain Kevin Miller, Combat Systems Design Authority and Surface Ships Combat Systems Group Team Leader, Royal Navy, said: “We have a long and successful history with Naval Ships Combat Systems and RECODE represents an important next phase of our collaboration. Today’s challenging landscape means we must adapt and evolve at pace. Agility is at the heart of the programme in three ways – equipment to maintain our capability, process so we can adapt that capability at the pace of relevance and a mindset to ensure we deliver. Those are the key facets that will enable the military advantage our crews are relying on.”

The contract will support 200 highly-skilled jobs at BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business across the company’s sites in Filton, Dorchester, New Malden, Frimley and Portsmouth and will also create additional investment in UK SME and high-tech suppliers across the UK.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP said: “This significant investment in our industry is another example of how our Government is making defence an engine for growth.”

“We are strengthening the UK’s defences while supporting growth, with hundreds of high-skilled jobs, to help deliver on our Plan for Change.”

“By working with British industry we’re ensuring our Royal Navy has the advanced technology it needs while strengthening our domestic defence industrial base.”

Neil Ritchie
Neil Ritchie
Neil Ritchie is the founder and editor of DefenceToday.com. Neil has a keen interest in the UK armed forces and national security issues as well as global defence procurement and cyber security matters. He also researches and writes about military history. Neil can be found on Bluesky: @neilritchie.bsky.social

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