SEA receives ECS order for Royal Navy submarines
Cohort company, SEA, will deliver external communications equipment for the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, with detailed design and long lead procurement work to be conducted under a £23 million contract announced on 14 November. The contract has been awarded by BAE Systems on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
SEA’s External Communications System (ECS) provides a fully-networked capability above and below the water based around open, modular and highly secure architecture with advanced remote control capabilities. Being open architecture, the system can be enhanced as new technologies emerge in future.
ECS will be rolled out across the UK submarine fleet, with this contract covering phase one of a two phase project. SEA expects a further significant order for the ECS system on Royal Navy submarines in 2015.
Steve Hill, managing director, SEA, said: ‘SEA is delighted to have been chosen by prime contractor BAE Systems to deliver this system. It is the culmination of fifteen years hard work, often in close partnership with the Royal Navy. Our appointment demonstrates that the MoD policy to support procurement from small innovative companies is paying off – bringing enhanced capabilities and reducing the cost of delivering an advanced and highly capable navy.’
Paul Beavis, submarines’ combat systems director, BAE Systems, added: ‘We have worked closely with SEA since the Astute Class competition and it’s great to see this step-change in communications design being rolled out to operational submarines.
‘With this open design, the evolution of submarines’ communications now looks really exciting and we look forward to pulling through the emerging technologies that will keep submarines at the forefront of our defence capability well into the future.’
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