The MoD announces a deal with Chemring Defence UK to supply smoke grenades and pyrotechnics to British troops for training and operations.
The munitions will fulfill a variety of roles, such as providing smoke screen cover on operations, flare markers for parachutists landing in difficult environments and in pre-deployment training to simulate battle conditions, including weapon fire and explosions.
The contract extension, worth just under £40m, with Chemring Defence UK Ltd, based in Draycott, Derbyshire, will supply a range of 52 general munitions, including signal flares and battle noise simulators for use on operations in Afghanistan and in pre-deployment training.
The Minister for Defence, Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said: “It is essential that troops are prepared for battle conditions before being deployed to theatre and the use of pyrotechnics and other battle simulators such as smoke grenades to recreate combat conditions is an effective way of doing this.
Defence General Munitions project team leader at MoD Defence Equipment & Support in Bath, Colonel Andy Gibson, said: “Security of supply of general munitions is vital to support current operations and the training for them. Our extended Partnering Agreement with Chemring Defence will provide security of supply of critical munitions to Front Line Commands and Operational Theatres and to meet training needs for at least five years.
“Over the last seven years, Chemring Defence have proved that they can deliver a wide range of Pyrotechnics on time and at a fair price and we are pleased to be able to continue this partnering relationship”.
Chemring employ 1,026 people in the UK, the company saying that this contract will help secure these jobs going forward. Mike Helme, managing director Chemring Europe, commented: “Chemring welcomes this agreement with the UK MoD which facilitates our long term planning and which underpins development and maintenance of critical UK capabilities in line with the MOD’s Defence Industrial and Technology Strategies.”
