UK and US agree Airseeker support extension to 2035
A RC-135W Rivet Joint lands at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire (Photo: UK MoD)
Airseeker support has been extended to 2035 following an agreement between the UK and US.
The UK has announced it has extended a support agreement out to 2035 with the US for three RAF Airseeker electronic surveillance aircraft – designated RC-135W Rivet Joint – in a deal worth £970 million.
The agreement covers maintenance, spare parts, engineering support, technical data and access to capability updates, according to a Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) statement.
Airseeker support falls under the Rivet Joint Cooperative Programme which had been due to lapse in 2025.
‘The Rivet Joint Cooperative Programme is a fantastic example of the UK/US special relationship and the support for our Airseeker fleet has been extended for a further decade,’ said Jeremy Quin, minister for defence procurement.
‘With a commitment to invest almost £1 billion, this agreement will ensure that we, and our allies, can benefit from the aircraft’s impressive surveillance capability for years to come.’
The aircraft, operated from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, by 51 Squadron have been used in counterinsurgency missions in the Middle East relying on its sensor capabilities to detect, identify and geolocate signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, DE&S noted.
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy]()
Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy
Israel will continue to develop autonomy for its weapons and platforms as it brings together defence personnel, academia and industry.
-
![Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s]()
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
![Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch]()
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
![AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family]()
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
-
![BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme]()
BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
-
![Just Released: Space Technology Report]()
Just Released: Space Technology Report
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
