SEA has entered a five-year agreement with Thales UK as a participant in the Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team (MSET) programme, to bolster the operational readiness of the UK Royal Navy’s key assets.
The contract, valued at £8m ($10.65m), tasks SEA with mitigating the risk of technological obsolescence and ensuring that critical systems continue to function effectively.
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The MSET initiative aims to optimise maintenance processes, thereby improving the availability of essential equipment such as sonar, masts, periscopes, and electronic warfare systems.
This effort contributes to the Royal Navy’s ability to maintain its Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD).
SEA Maritime Support & Services head Kerry Parfitt said: “Ensuring naval platforms and capabilities are mission-ready is the backbone of naval operational readiness. Through the MSET programme, we’ll be working closely with our industry colleagues at Thales UK and the UK Royal Navy to instil a proactive approach to through-life support – seamlessly integrating maintenance, innovation and training into operations.
“Not only will this mean platforms and critical capabilities are available when they’re needed most but it will also strengthen the resilience of Royal Navy assets. Continual enhancements to existing functionality will significantly reduce the risk of system obsolescence, delivering long term cost efficiencies for the UK Government.”
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By GlobalDataAs part of the MSET agreement, SEA will provide onsite maintenance support and regulatory inspections for towed array handling systems used in UK dockyards and abroad.
SEA’s team of engineers will also handle prompt repair services and address operational defects or damage to ensure optimal asset availability for the Royal Navy.
The contract will be executed by SEA’s Maritime Support & Services division, leveraging their experience in sustaining legacy naval capabilities amidst contemporary maritime challenges.
By managing system obsolescence, overseeing repair work, and analysing failure patterns, SEA will identify enhancements that can improve equipment performance.
This exclusive contract serves as a continuation from the Sensors Support Optimisation Project (SSOP).
The MSET programme marks another strategic achievement for SEA’s Maritime Support & Services team, following a previous contract award for providing through-life support for its Ancilia trainable decoy launcher on Royal Navy surface vessels.
Thales UK Managing Director Underwater Systems Steven Lockley said: “SEA’s proactive approach to tackling obsolescence and enhancing resilience is critical to ensuring Royal Navy ships remain mission-ready. As we begin this 15-year programme, we’re excited to strengthen our partnership and deliver long-term availability for the UK Royal Navy’s critical assets.”
The announcement comes after Thales secured a £1.8bn, 15-year contract in 2024, with the UK Ministry of Defence for the MSET project.
