News item:Royal Navy Spearfish Torpedo - Last one delivered

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  • tmsmalley
    SubCommittee Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 2376

    News item:Royal Navy Spearfish Torpedo - Last one delivered

    BAE Delivers Final Spearfish

    Farnborough November 24, 2003 - BAE SYSTEMS handed over the final Spearfish to Rear Admiral Tim McClement, Rear Admiral Surface Ships signaling the end of the award-winning, £677m contract on Monday 24 November at the Underwater Systems Division in Waterlooville, Hampshire UK. This complex project has been delivered on time, to budget and met every outload throughout its nine year life.

    Spearfish, one of the world's leading heavyweight torpedoes, will be in service for the Royal Navy until 2025 and to support the in-service life, Andy Williams, Managing Director of Underwater Systems was delighted to announce the award of RATE, a £24.6m, 5 year contract which will provide the MoD with the ability to test Spearfish during its expected life span. On receiving the contract, Andy said, "The old Spearfish Test equipment will have lasted over 20 years, which is a great tribute to those who designed it. RATE will be a timely replacement which will support Spearfish for the rest of its life."

    Spearfish has proven itself to be a quiet, fast, intelligent and maneuverable weapon in thousands of simulated trials, hundreds of in-water trials as well as in a live firing scenario.

    The concept of a "workshop to waterfront" contract, taking responsibility for the entire process, from manufacture to delivery of outloads to the submarines, was "cutting edge" when the contract was placed. Indeed, for the first time, the Defence Munitions Depot, based in Beith, Scotland, was a key subcontractor with responsibility for the final assembly and preparation of the weapons. Following the success of this program, the MoD has now copied this concept with other major defence contracts.

    The success of the contract can also be attributed to the close working partnership between the Defence Procurement Agency and BAE SYSTEMS Underwater Systems Division throughout the duration of this project. The main production order directly employed over 200 BAE SYSTEMS staff and 300 subcontractors from 18 companies across both the UK and USA.

    Andy Williams said "All those who have been involved in the Spearfish contract, including customers, suppliers and employees of UWS should be proud of a job well done. I congratulate them".

    Spearfish is the one of the world's most advanced submarine launched heavyweight torpedo offering unsurpassed speed, endurance, maneuverability, intelligence and stealth to defeat the most sophisticated submarine and surface threats. Effective in the oceanic environment, it is the Royal Navy's primary anti-submarine and anti-surface ship armament of the Royal Navy's submarine service and is expected to be in service until 2025.

  • #2
    Thank you for the info.

    Thank you for the info. The BAE Spearfish is a remarkable and feared weapon system. It is also supposedly to be interchangeable with the American Mk.48 ADCAP in weapon systems interface aboard British SSN and SSBN's should in an emergency war stocks should run low too according to Tom Clancy.

    Steve Reichmuth

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