SEA Awarded Royal Navy In-Service Combat Systems Support Contract

Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd (SEA) is to provide in-service support to the Combat System Highway (CSH) on Royal Navy ships as part of a new contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The CSH is said to be a crucial element to the Royal Navy’s ships, which allows operators to determine combat system status and ensure mission availability. It also provides a resilient, high-speed communication backbone, fitted in surface vessels to pass information between command, control, sensor and weapon systems (member systems) to enable an integrated combat system.

The five-year contract includes a wide range of in-service support for Royal Navy surface ships and shore-based facilities, including performance monitoring, ongoing technical refresh, and obsolescence reporting as the equipment Technical Authority for the CSH network. SEA will provide support for a number of Royal Navy ships, including the Type 23s, the RFA Royal Victoria Auxiliary Oiler Replacement ship and Landing Platform Dock ships.

“Ensuring the availability of equipment is a crucial aspect of the Royal Navy’s operational effectiveness,” said Kerry Parfitt, SEA Head of Maritime Support & Services. “Our skilled team have the extensive technical knowledge and skills to carry out the works required. Our in-service support team has a history of working closely with the Royal Navy to support their systems and responding to emerging demands. We’re proud of our role in supporting the Royal Navy in being mission-ready and able to respond to threats.”

SEA is currently under contract for a number of ongoing support projects with the Royal Navy. It is providing technology refresh and in-service support for the torpedo launcher and countermeasures systems on the Royal Navy’s Type 23 ships as part of a recent contract, giving the in-service team an existing knowledge of the interface of these systems, which are connected to the CSH. It is also under contract to manage and update the Royal Navy’s in-service sonar equipment.

Samantha Bassett, Project Manager, Fleet Wide Combat Management Systems, added: “With a detailed technical knowledge of the system and proven level of service on the CSH, SEA has demonstrated its ability to maintain the CSH’s mission availability. We have a productive working relationship with SEA’s in-service support team and look forward to working with them through the duration of this contract.”