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Alstec arming up for new carriers
Thursday, 13 September, 2007
Babcock subsidiary Alstec is in line for an order worth about GBP36 million to supply an advanced weapon handling system for the Royal Navy’s two Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) vessels, the DSEi Show Daily has learnt.
Re-arming capacity is a significant factor in determining the aircraft sortie generation rate that can be achieved by the CVF and its embarked air group. However, the job of transporting munitions from deep magazines and then preparing them for loading aboard aircraft has traditionally been very manpower intensive.
Alstec’s Highly Mechanised Weapon Handling System (HMWHS) has been designed to address both needs, by speeding up transfer rates while at the same time driving down the weapon handling complement by 75 per cent. The system is based on commercial warehouse handling principles but adapted for the safe transport and stowage of munitions in a warship environment.
Thales UK, as part of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, is leading the whole ship design, power and propulsion, and aviation and support services aspects of the CVF programme for the Alliance. Speaking at DSEi, John Ward, director aviation and ship systems, said the HMWHS was one of a number of long lead items for which a contract was pending.
“We are currently aiming to sign a contract with Alstec on 25 October,” he said. “The value will be in the region of GBP36 million.”
Successful testing of a production prototype system was undertaken in 2006. This included dynamic trials using the QinetiQ rolling platform facility at the Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down facility.