Through our dedicated asset management team – the Royal Navy is guaranteed engineering support wherever and whenever they need it. In the last year alone, BAE Systems' asset management team has completed eight Deployed Support Periods (DSPs) – deploying small, expert teams to regions across the world, working alongside local commercial engineering delivery partners and suppliers, to ensure an efficiency for our customer.
In the Middle East, the team has demonstrated its skill in co-ordinating significant volumes of repairs at reach, delivering to time, and to specification. Whilst alongside in Bahrain a small team of BAE Systems’ Type 23 platform experts deployed to support HMS Lancaster. The team worked closely with Royal Navy engineers and local partner, Bahrain Ship Repairing and Engineering Company (BASREC), to address defect rectification and repairs as well as carrying out routine maintenance of her equipment and systems.
The in-region support provided to HMS Lancaster demonstrates an enterprise support model that is effective regardless of geography. A combination of a small number of deployed platform experts in partnership with regional commercial engineering delivery partners has been a successful blend - one that we look forward to utilising again in the future. I am grateful to colleagues in the Royal Navy and the MOD for their assistance, as well as to BASREC for their commitment and dedication to getting the job done. It has truly shown the benefits of effective collaboration. We’ve once again demonstrated our skill in co-ordinating significant volumes of repairs to such complex assets at reach, delivering to time and to specification. I am extremely proud of the work we have delivered.Dean Kimber, Maritime Services’ Head of Asset Management, BAE Systems
A dedicated maritime support hub has been established in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This builds on over 15 years of BAE Systems’ engineering support to the Royal Navy’s Hunt Class Mine Counter Measure Vessels operating in the Gulf. The hub enables increased efficiencies of maintenance activities, and enhances the operational capability of the Type 23 frigates and Hunt Class minehunters deployed in the region.
HMS Chiddingfold was the first forward deployed minehunter to undergo a deployed docking and recertification period in over 15 years. Her successful four-week support period in Bahrain, delivered alongside our local in-country partner BASREC; again confirmed our ability to continuously support our Royal Navy customer at reach – and sets the benchmark for future support, enabling deployed ships to quickly return to operational activity.
A DSP was also delivered for HMS Diamond in 2024, whilst the destroyer was deployed in the Red Sea countering the threat from Houthi rebels. Diamond then handed over to HMS Duncan, where a small engineering team were deployed to support Duncan and have since returned, with the ship in a strong material state. Duncan will receive a DSP later in the year, to ensure her operational readiness for the remainder of her deployment.
Our ability to provide flexibility, agility and resilience was further tested earlier this year, and resulted in HMS Prince of Wales being re-deployed at significantly short notice whilst in a multi-million pound maintenance period. The efforts ensured that 17 different Capability Insertions were made safe or finished, 12 thorough examinations undertaken and maintenance activities on 11 different power and propulsion works completed.
De-conflicting these works with the ship’s own preparations, including embarkation of a huge volume of stores and transfer of equipment from HMS Queen Elizabeth was indicative of a significant and collaborative team effort. This response resulted in HMS Prince of Wales sailing from R5 (30 days’ notice) to take part in a NATO Exercise, Steadfast Defender, within seven days, with all engines and motors available.
To deliver this volume of complex warship activity, it requires agility and a collaborative approach to engineering at reach. Maritime Services’ deployed support model has been successfully demonstrated in the Middle East; and along with the successful generation of the ships for the CSG21 and CSG23 task group activities – our approach provides reassurance and confidence to our Royal Navy customer for the generation of ships deploying with CSG25 and future task groups.