BAE Systems Maritime – Maritime Services

Maritime Services is part of the UK Missile Defence Centre, which provides technical and scientific advice to UK government policy on issues related to ballistic missile defence.[2]

Maritime Services Engineering & Digital Services division supports the Royal Navy and other customers with expertise in design engineering, safety management, support engineering, information systems, digital solutions, machine learning, prognostics and energy solutions.[3][4] In August 2020, Maritime Services acquired Techmodal, a Bristol based data consultancy and digital services firm, in order to strengthen the company’s technology and data portfolio.[5]

Maritime Services carries out advanced manufacturing operations at Broad Oak in Portsmouth, Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Great Baddow in Essex and at Hillend in Fife.[6] They develop, test, assemble and integrate a wide range of technologies for both the commercial and military electronics markets, including missile seekers and avionics equipment[7]

Maritime Services manage Portsmouth Naval Base on behalf of the Royal Navy, providing services such as planning, engineering, facilities management, programme management and estates services.[8]

Artisan Type 997 Radar installed on HMS Argyll

Maritime Services has developed a wide range of Radars for both the Royal Navy and other customers. Principal products include the Type 997 Artisan radar[9] and the SAMPSON radar.[10] In November 2017, Maritime Services was awarded a five-year, £18m contract to support the long-range radar (LRR) equipment on the UK's six Type 45 destroyers, including maintenance and repairs.[11]

Maritime Services manufactures and supports a range of specialist high-speed military craft, including Rigid Inflatable Boats and Fast Attack Craft. These boats are used by Special Forces, navies, armies, air forces and governments in over 40 countries around the world. Principal products include the Pacific 24 and Pacific 950 Rigid Inflatable Boats.

The company is also developing autonomous technology that is designed to be retro-fitted to existing boats. In October 2016, BAE Systems and its test service partners showcased their autonomous maritime capabilities in the Royal Navy's ‘Unmanned Warrior’ exercise.[12] Subsequently, BAE Systems and its partners were awarded a £457,000 contract to design and deliver the UK's first dedicated autonomous systems testing service.[13]

Maritime Services provides a range of shore-based training facilities, using a mix of computer-based training, real equipment and high-fidelity simulators, which minimise the need for on-board training. Principal training facilities include the Maritime Composite Training Facility (MCTS)[14] and the Astute Class Training Service (ACTS).[15]

Maritime Services designs, manufactures and supports a wide range of underwater weapons and autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles, including the Spearfish heavyweight torpedo and the Archerfish expendable mine neutraliser. Currently, Maritime Services is undertaking a £270 million programme to upgrade the Spearfish torpedo. The upgrade includes a new insensitive-munition warhead from TDW, a change to the fuel system to improve safety, full digitisation of the weapon and a new fibre optic guidance link to improve performance.[16] The upgraded torpedoes will enter service between 2020 and 2024.[17]

Maritime Services is responsible for delivering end to end services and support to over 50% of the Royal Navy's surface fleet. Ships supported include the Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates, Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels, River-class offshore patrol vessels and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.[18] They will also support the Type 31 frigates when they enter service in the mid-2020s.[19] As of March 2018, Maritime Services are leading an alliance team composed of shipbuilders Cammell Laird and consultancy firm BMT to permanently ongoing resolve Type 45 power generation issues[20] caused by unreliable Northrop Grumman intercoolers.[21][22][23]