The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract to QinetiQ to upgrade and provide maintenance for software – designed to help in the decision making process for submarine escape and rescue systems – for the UK Royal Navy.

The contract follows the UK MoD’s request to QinetiQ GRC to review the software and assess its usability and future development.

As part of the contract, the company will recode and maintain the submarine escape, rescue, abandonment and survival (SMERAS) assessment model software in a modern development language.

"We selected QinetiQ not only because of their world leading SMERAS knowledge and understanding, but also because they have a significant software development capability which has been built around their Paramarine advanced marine design software," Randall added.

The SMERAS assessment model software has been designed to provide a method for analysing numerous scenarios relating to distressed submarines and the rescue of survivors, based on expert agreed assumptions.

QinetiQ GRC deputy managing director Gareth Draper said the contract to upgrade the escape and rescue simulation software is a clear recognition of capabilities.

"We have established a skilled and substantial software development team who have, in addition to supporting the development of Paramarine Software, carried out numerous and often complex software development projects for a range of clients in both the commercial and public sectors," Draper added.

Since 1998, the UK MoD’s SMERAS team has been using SMERAS to support in-service submarines and to drive the design of new builds.

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