£25m deal for bombs boosts job hopes in defence

The additional Paveway IV bombs will be carried by Tornado jets in Afghanistan, and are also due to be carried by new Typhoon and Lightning II aircraft.

Used during last year’s air campaign over Libya, the RAF precision weapons employ Global Positioning System (GPS) technology which allows the UK to conduct 24-hour attacks against a range of targets.

Aircrew have the ability to reprogramme the weapon during a mission, allowing them to attack a wider range of targets.

The MoD announced a new £25m contract for more Paveway IV bombs from Ray-
theon UK, securing hundreds of jobs.

It will sustain around 450 jobs at the firm’s UK plants – 300 in Glenrothes, Scotland, responsible for the Guidance Control Section of the weapon, and 150 in Harlow, Essex.

The contract will also support jobs at Raytheon’s subcontractors – Portsmouth Aviation Ltd, Exelis in Brighton, Chemring in Ardeer, Ayrshire, and Thales in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

This year, the MoD has awarded more than £100m of contracts to Raytheon UK for around 1,600 Paveway IV bombs, a spokesman said.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne said: “This highly sophisticated UK-developed and manufactured weapon is the backbone of the RAF’s precision bombing capability.

“This contract to boost the MoD’s weapon stocks will sustain hundreds of skilled jobs in the defence manufacturing sector in both Scotland and England.”

Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Baz North, added: “Paveway munitions have long been a success story for the Royal Air Force in terms of their precision bombing capability.

“The ability to operate in any weather means that we are able to support operations 24/7.

“Paveway IV weapons are a real asset not only to the Royal Air Force, but to defence as a whole.”

David Hulse, national officer of the GMB union, said: “This is welcome news in these bleak times. GMB maintains that the shipyard workers are just as important as the armed forces to our nation’s defences which is why it is crucial that the MoD plan procurement to ensure capacity and skills.”