The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a through life in-service support contract to Babcock to support the precise time and frequency standard (PTFS) equipment on board the UK Royal Navy submarine fleet.
It follows a previous award in 2007 to design, supply, install, and support the PTFS system for the service.
Under the latest three-year deal, Babcock will support the system through a life post design services (PDS) contract for its fleet of Vanguard and Trafalgar-class submarines, shore reference facilities, military headquarters and shore development and integration facilities.
The company will also provide an around the clock helpdesk, engineering support, technical documentation, obsolescence management, safety and environmental management, refresh of oscillator clock modules, and spares holding.
Babcock Capability Insertion programme manager Mark Henagulph said that the company had been delivering the PTFS system to the Royal Navy to meet its mission requirements.
"Under this latest contract, we will continue to offer support to our highly accurate, low-cost modular system," Henagulph added.
The PTFS system provides a low-risk time and frequency standard to the Royal Navy’s submarine flotilla.
In addition to providing reference frequency and precise time to various systems, the modularity of the system enables specific platforms to meet current and future requirements, while reducing spares holdings, replacement costs, training and maintenance.
BAE Systems-built Vanguard-class submarines are capable of carrying 16 missile tubes and Trident 2 D5 nuclear missiles.
The Royal Navy operates a total of six Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited (VSEL), which will be succeeded by Astute-class submarines.
Image: Royal Navy’s Vanguard-class submarine cruising on the sea surface. Photo: file image.
