£100m contract with Italian Navy secured (From Yeovil Express)

£100m contract with Italian Navy secured

9:00pm Tuesday 1st December 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

A TEMPLECOMBE company has secured a £100-million contract with the Italian Navy.

Somerton MP David Heath has welcomed the announcement that will see Thales carry out the contract to provide sonar systems for Italy's mine-hunting fleet.

The majority of the work will be undertaken at the Templecombe site and this contract represents the largest order for Thales at Templecombe this year.

Under the contract Thales will supply eight of its highly successful Sonar 2093 systems.

Sonar 2093 is a variable-depth sonar system and is designed for the detection and classification of bottom and moored mines.

The system is already in service with the UK Royal Navy's Sandown-class mine countermeasures fleet and is a proven asset on UK mine-hunting operations.

Thales's innovative mine countermeasure solutions have won all major competitions over the past two years which has resulted in Thales supplying systems to India, Norway, Lithuania and Singapore.

Mr Heath said: “This is great new for the workers in Templecombe and a much needed boost to the economy. At a time when contracts are hard to win, it's good to hear of local success, and is a tribute to the high level of expertise at Templecombe.”

• Print
• Email
• Share