Rolls-Royce Secures Contract for Mission Bay Handling Systems on UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates

Rolls-Royce Secures Contract for Mission Bay Handling Systems on UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates

(IN BRIEF) Rolls-Royce has been awarded a contract to supply its Mission Bay Handling System (MBHS) for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 City-class frigates. The contract, in partnership with BAE Systems, includes the production of five MBHS units at Rolls-Royce’s facility in Peterborough, Ontario. The MBHS, designed to enhance the versatility and operational capabilities of naval vessels, will be installed on the second batch of Type 26 frigates. This contract will also lead to job creation at the Peterborough facility, with a 10% increase in workforce anticipated.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 14-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Rolls-Royce has been awarded a significant contract to supply its Mission Bay Handling System (MBHS) for the second batch of the UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 City-class frigates. The contract, secured with BAE Systems Surface Ships Limited, includes the production of five MBHS units at Rolls-Royce’s Canadian Naval Handling Centre of Excellence in Peterborough, Ontario.

As a global leader in specialized naval handling systems, Rolls-Royce has been providing innovative solutions to the naval industry for over 35 years. The MBHS is an advanced integrated system designed to handle and store a wide range of cargo, munitions, and both unmanned and manned offboard craft, making it a critical component for modern naval operations.

This latest contract brings the total number of MBHS units ordered for the Type 26 program to eight, following a previous order for three systems for the initial batch of frigates. The first complete system from this latest order is expected to be delivered later this summer.

The new contract will also lead to job creation, with Rolls-Royce’s Peterborough facility set to increase its workforce by 10% to accommodate the increased workload.

Jessica Banks, Programme Executive for Naval Handling Systems at Rolls-Royce Defence, expressed her enthusiasm for the project: “This is a significant achievement for Rolls-Royce in Canada and our team in Peterborough. Our Mission Bay Handling System is ideally suited for modern naval operations, offering adaptable and flexible integration solutions for a wide range of activities. We are proud to contribute this mission-critical capability to the Type 26 program and are committed to delivering for the UK Royal Navy.”

Ian Brown from the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support division also commented on the milestone: “Having been involved in the Mission Bay Handling System aspect of this program from the outset, reaching this stage is a tremendous achievement. The system is unique to the UK Royal Navy and will greatly enhance our operational capabilities. The collaboration and effort from all involved have been invaluable, and I look forward to seeing the system installed on HMS Glasgow and witnessing its full potential.”

The MBHS transforms a ship’s mission bay into a versatile and multi-purpose space, allowing it to adapt to various operational needs. It enables the storage and handling of diverse cargo, munitions, and containerized mission modules, without requiring a dockside crane. Additionally, the system’s precisely controlled hydraulic boom can efficiently and safely deploy and retrieve manned and unmanned surface vessels even in challenging sea conditions up to sea state 6.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce develops and delivers complex power and propulsion solutions for safety-critical applications in the air, at sea and on land. Our products and service packages enable our customers to connect people, societies, cultures and economies together; they meet the growing need for power generation across multiple industries; and enable governments to equip their armed forces with the power to protect.
2. Rolls-Royce has a presence in 48 countries and customers in more than 150, comprising over 250 commercial large aero engine customers, 160 armed forces and navies and approximately 40,000 active Power Systems customers. We are committed to becoming a net zero company by 2050 and we support our customers to do the same.
3. Annual underlying revenue was $20.79bn in 2023, underlying operating profit was $2.16bn and free cash flow $1.75bn.
4. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is publicly traded company (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69).

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SOURCE: Rolls-Royce plc