13/01/2006

£100M combat training system for Navy

Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson has announced a £100 million contract for advanced computerised training systems for the Royal Navy.

The Maritime Composite Training System will help the Royal Navy maximise the combat effectiveness of existing major surface warships, as well as future Type 45 destroyers.

Lord Drayson said that the £100 million contract has been placed with BAE Systems Insyte, in order to equip new facilities in Devonport Naval Base and the shore base HMS Collingwood near Portsmouth.

The system will be used to train sailors serving on Invincible class carriers, Type 42 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and HM Ships Ocean, Albion and Bulwark.

It is hoped that the new facilities will be ready to train Type 45 crew later this decade.

Lord Drayson said: "We've contracted for a very sophisticated system, which can replicate the combat command systems used across most of our major surface warships, including the aircraft carriers, as well as the new Type 45 destroyers now under construction.

"This investment means men and women who 'fight the ship' in computerised command centres will be better prepared for combat and emergencies."

(KMcA/GB)








Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

16 August 2007
HMS Daring Passes Sea Trials
The Royal Navy's newest and most sophisticated destroyer, HMS Daring, has successfully completed sea trials off the Scottish coast. HMS Daring is the first of the six £1bn ships of her type. Over the last month she has been undergoing rigorous sea trials.
04 January 2007
Police seize pit bulls in Merseyside raids
Eight pit bull terrier dogs have been seized by Merseyside Police in a series of raids. The raids, which took place on Wednesday night, followed the death of five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson, who was mauled to death by a pit bull terrier at her grandmother's home in St Helens in the early hours of New Year's Day.
12 December 2005
Countess of Wessex to launch Type 45 destoyer
The Countess of Wessex will launch the first of the Royal Navy's new 'D' Class destroyers early next year. HMS Daring, the seventh vessel to carry the name, will be the first of the Royal Navy's batch of Type 45 air defence destroyers.
14 April 2008
PM And Chancellor To 'Squeeze' Big Banks
Another type of credit squeeze is about to be applied to the UK's major banking institutions.
26 August 2004
Production begins on 'next generation' Destroyer
Production of the second of the Royal Navy's next generation Destroyers has been officially launched at BAE Systems' shipyard at Govan in Glasgow today. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West signalled the start of production on the Type 45 Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer by cutting the first sheet of steel this morning.