Harlow: £25M Bomb Deal Secures Jobs

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) today (Monday December 3rd) announced a new £25 million contract for more laser-guided bombs, in a move set to secure hundreds of jobs in Harlow.

The additional Paveway IV bombs will be carried by Tornado jets in Afghanistan, and are also due to be carried by new Typhoon and Lightning II aircraft.

The MoD has announced a new £25 million contract for more Paveway IV bombs from Raytheon UK, securing hundreds of jobs.

It will sustain around 450 jobs at the firm's UK plants - 300 in Glenrothes, Scotland, responsible for the Guidance Control Section of the weapon, and 150 in Harlow.

The contract will also support jobs at Raytheon's subcontractors - Portsmouth Aviation Ltd, Exelis in Brighton, Chemring in Ardeer, Ayrshire, and Thales in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne said: "This highly sophisticated UK-developed and manufactured weapon is the backbone of the RAF's precision bombing capability.

"This contract to boost the MoD's weapon stocks will sustain hundreds of skilled jobs in the defence manufacturing sector in both Scotland and England.

"By balancing the defence budget, we are able to commit with confidence to equipment programmes which help to safeguard our national security.''

Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Baz North, added: "Paveway munitions have long been a success story for the Royal Air Force in terms of their precision bombing capability.

:The ability to operate in any weather means that we are able to support operations 24/7. 

"Paveway IV weapons are a real asset not only to the Royal Air Force, but to defence as a whole.''