Royal Navy's £169m Dreadnought contract awarded to Scotland's Thales Glasgow
A £169m contract to help build the new class of Royal Navy submarines has been awarded to Thales Glasgow.
The company will build the optronic combat system mast for the Dreadnought vessels, which is also known as the 'above water eyes'.
The masts are an update on the traditional periscope that provides improved electronic, stabilised, quality visuals for the crew - providing clearer images of activity and enabling them to detect enemy movements more quickly.
Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge said: "This is a clear investment in maintaining the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.
"By providing the 'eyes' of the new Dreadnought Class Submarine, this technology will play a key role in keeping the country safe.
"The Dreadnought programme will support tens of thousands of UK jobs, boosting the economy and defending our nation."
Every Royal Navy submarine in service since 1917 has been fitted with a periscope or optronics mast manufactured by Thales at its site on the Clyde.
The masts will be fitted to the new Dreadnought-class boats currently being built to replace the Vanguard-class vessels that are in service.
The announcement comes as companies hold talks with the UK Government and the Armed Forces in Edinburgh about plans to maximise the economic impact of the defence sector.
CEO of Thales UK Alex Cresswell said: "We are proud to say that our combat system mast and sonar will be providing the eyes and ears capabilities of the new Dreadnought Class.
"The boat build, led by BAE Systems and partners, will be another milestone showcase of UK engineering skills and innovation.
"It is an incredibly exciting time for the Submarine Service and its contribution to global security with the build of the Dreadnought class and as we look to the development of the AUKUS submarine programme that will deliver a future capability for Australia and the UK."
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