Defence Online

UK and France begin build of unmanned mine clearance craft

Maritime November 7, 2016

Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin MP and her French counterpart, Laurent Collet-Billon, have launched the next phase of a £117 million joint Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme in Paris.

The MMCM programme will develop cutting-edge maritime mine warfare capability; a capability which will keep the UK and France at the forefront of autonomous systems technology.

The programme builds on the commitment of the 2010 Lancaster House Treaty to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the UK and France in order to improve collective defence capability within Europe and NATO.

Led by Thales, this joint programme draws on the expertise of companies from both sides of the Channel to the benefit of both nations. Work will be shared between UK and French supply chains, as will the considerable export opportunities arising from such innovative technology.

The programme will secure around 150 jobs across the UK, including Somerset, Manchester and Fareham.

Ms Baldwin said: “This innovative project further strengthens the UK-French defence relationship and supports cutting-edge research on both sides of the Channel. The development of advanced autonomous MCM capability will safeguard our strategic interests, secure around 150 jobs in the UK supply chain, and protect our brave and skilled personnel.”

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Mark Lane is a defence writer for defenceonline.co.uk and the MoD’s Defence Contracts Bulletin. He is also editor of Global Trader, sub-editor of Insider Scotland and a former editor of Business Today.

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