Thales selects degaussing specialists for Lithuanian minehunter contract
16 February 2009
Following an agreement between the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Lithuanian Government in November 2008, Thales was named as the prime contractor to reactivate two former Royal Navy Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels.
Thales has since been engaged in the sub-contracts selection procedure, including propulsion, command and control, and mine disposal systems. The first sub-contract, to supply propulsion for the two ships, was signed with Finning UK on 29 January.
The ship regeneration package is an innovative departure for Thales UK, with responsibility for the revised vessel design, equipment/system specification and procurement, platform and system integration. The company is also responsible for reactivation shipyard management and all test, trial and acceptance events.
Stockholm-based Polyamp will be responsible for supplying the advanced degaussing system for the two ships, using digitally controlled amplifiers that will power the existing compartment degaussing coils and new equipment coils. Degaussing reduces the magnetic signature of a vessel, protecting it from the threat of magnetic mines.
Thales will also be fitting its own new hull-mounted Sonar 2193 system to the two warships. They are expected to enter service with the Lithuanian Navy by 2011.
Ed Lowe, Managing Director of Thales UK's naval business, says: "We welcome this latest announcement. Signing two important sub-contracts within such a short space of time is an excellent indication of how this innovative programme is progressing."
Attached photo: (left to right) Per Ennerfors (Polyamp Vice President Marketing & Development), Graham Thomson (Programme Manager, Thales, Eric Östlund (Polyamp Managing Director), John Radford (Commercial Director, Thales), Jo Plumbley (Commercial Manager, Thales) John Watters (Procurement Manager, Thales) & David Miller (Polyamp Marketing Executive).
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Notes to editors
1. The Hunt-class vessels - HMS Cottesmore and HMS Dulverton - were converted in 1997 by the Royal Navy from their original use as mine countermeasures vessels into patrol vessels. The vessels were later declared surplus to requirements and put on the MoD list for disposal in 2004.
2. In 2006 Thales UK approached the MoD and offered to use its international marketing and sales expertise to help find a country that was interested in purchasing the ships for use in their original minehunting role.
About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues in excess of £8.3 bn.
Thales UK employs 9,000 staff based at more than 50 locations. In 2007 Thales UK's revenues were over £1.2 bn.
Press contact:
Thales UK
Kathryn Bell
Mob: +44 7813 903274
Email: kathryn.bell@thalesgroup.com
Thales UK, Naval
Adrian Rondel
Mob: +44 7971 414052
Email: adrian.rondel@uk.thalesgroup.com
www.thalesgroup.com/uk
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