Local MP Sarah Dyke has welcomed the £1.85 billion defence contract awarded to a firm with a site in Somerset.
The Ministry of Defence has announced a new 15-year deal with Thales to maximise the Royal Navy’s sea days.
Thales boasts a large facility in Sarah Dyke’s Somerton and Frome constituency, employing over 750 skilled workers.
The ground-breaking contract answers the increasing requirement for Royal Navy platforms to be active for prolonged periods due to global instability.
The contract, known as the Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team (MSET), will preemptively identify problems through state-of-the-art AI and data management, rather than reacting when issues arise.
This initiative is set to preserve 300 jobs, generate 150 new roles - many of which will be located in Templecombe - and support the training of numerous apprentices in crucial engineering skills.
Ms Dyke said: "This contract is great news for Somerset.
"It’ll not only safeguard jobs at Thales Templecombe, but also create new ones, as well as providing more opportunities for young people who want to make their career in the defence industry.
"I visited Thales last month to look at their production facilities.
"This contract cements the firm’s century-long partnership with the Royal Navy and will help to defend the UK and keep the world’s critical sea lanes open."
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