Thales announces major jobs boost for UK
07 November 2002
Thales CVF (future aircraft carrier) team today announces the industrial benefits of its CVF proposal that will see some 10,000 jobs involved throughout the UK over the programme lifetime. With the Thales strategy, the vessels will be UK designed, built and assembled in 5 major Superblock sections and across the UK 8 companies are on the bidders list to compete for their construction. Under Thales' plans, Scotland will carry out the final 'hook up' with Rosyth a prime candidate, the alternatives being Inchgreen and Nigg. The processes that Thales will introduce will also have extensive benefit for companies across the UK supply chain and 700 businesses have already been briefed about the opportunities to compete for work on the programme. The jobs will peak through the 2006 to 2010 period and in addition to the traditional blue collar jobs around 25 per cent of the total will be in the high technology sector.
The company's design from the outset, incorporates the flexibility to ensure that the new carriers will take UK military operations into a new era, with the two 50,000+ tonne vessels operating a mix of Short Take off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft along with helicopters and potentially Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. In order to utilise the full operational potential of the CVF/STOVL JSF weapons system capability, Thales has adopted a novel extended centre line runway option, that will be used on occasions when it is necessary for JSF to carry increased payloads. The twin island design provides greatly enhanced operational survivability by physical separation of key ship and flying control functions. Additionally, air flow studies show that this island configuration improves the 'air wake' environment for approaching aircraft.
Thales' CVF design takes full advantage of integrated full electric propulsion (IFEP). The adoption of an IFEP system allows the ship's electrical generators to be dispersed throughout the vessel giving improved survivability. This design feature, along with podded drive propulsion, similar to that being used on the cruise liner Queen Mary 2, eliminates long shaft-lines. Furthermore, podded propulsion also improves hydrodynamic efficiency and manoeuvrability in confined waters and berthing.
Chief Executive Officer of Thales Plc, Alex Dorrian, commented: "Today's news marks a major opportunity for the nation's shipbuilding industry to capitalise upon a new way of naval prime contracting. These ships will be wholly designed and built in the UK and our partnering approach will provide lasting benefit to the UK's industrial base."
Thales is the major systems supplier to the Royal Navy providing sonar for all submarines including the nuclear deterrent. Along with EW, communications and radar, Thales systems are at the at the heart of the UK's naval capability. Thales' defence activities encompass naval systems, optronics, air defence, sensors, communications and avionics. The company is the UK's second largest defence contractor, having been a supplier to the MoD since before the First World War. Thales now draws together under one unifying brand name, businesses including Racal, Thomson Marconi Sonar, Shorts Missile Systems, Thorn, Avimo and Pilkington Optronics. Employing 65,000 people in almost 50 countries, in 2001 Thales global revenues were £6.8 billion.
Press contact:
Thales Naval Limited - Nick West - 44 01932 824857
nick.west@uk.thalesgroup.com
Notes to Editors:
Across the UK the 8 companies that have shown interest in competing for the Superblocks sections are:
BAE Systems Marine, Govan
Babcock BES, Rosyth
Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Heerema, Hartlepool
KBR Caledonia Ltd, Nigg
McNulty Offshore Ltd, South Sheilds
Swan Hunter Shipbuilding, Wallsend/Port Clarence
Vosper Thornycroft, Portsmouth
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