Combat systems on Royal Navy warships to be upgraded under £285m BAE contract

The Royal Navy is set to receive a major boost to its operational capabilities through a £285m contract to upgrade its fleet's combat management systems (CMS).

The contract, awarded to BAE Systems, will enhance the ability of vessels to track, analyse, and respond to threats in combat.

The upgrades, part of the Recode (Real-time Combat System Open Data Enablers) programme, will benefit warships including Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, and the newer Type 26 frigates.

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The upgrades announcement comes a week after the Royal Navy tracked a Russian spy ship, Yantar, as it moved through British waters.

These CMS enhancements will serve as the backbone of situational awareness and operational decision-making, providing crews with essential tools for navigation, threat evaluation, and weapons control.

The Royal Navy Combat Systems Design Authority's Captain Kevin Miller said: "This programme delivers the agility we need to maintain our military advantage."

According to the MOD, the project will support more than 200 skilled jobs at BAE Systems facilities in Filton, Dorchester, New Malden, Frimley, and Portsmouth and will also involve smaller UK suppliers.