Babcock secures £50m contract to help arm Ukraine

Defence giant Babcock International has won a £50m contract with the UK to provide operational support for tanks given to Ukraine.

Babcock will kit out armoured vehicles provided by the Government to the military, including Challenger 2 tanks, train Ukrainian personnel and manage equipment and supply chains. 

Chief executive David Lockwoodsaid: ‘What we do at Babcock matters now more than ever and it is a privilege to be by our customers’ side when they need us most.’

British defence secretary Ben Wallace said: ‘This delivers essential support for Ukraine on the battlefield, sustaining their equipment by providing the expertise and skills to keep Ukraine’s armoured vehicles moving, along with the provision of vital spares’.

Babcock said there was scope for the deal to be extended. Defence firms have said that governments need to provide solid contracts in order to ramp up production levels.

Defence manufacturing has been hampered by global supply chain issues. This week, BAE Systems secured orders from the UK to boost production of weapons. 

The £280million deal, which could rise in value to top £400million, enables it to raise production capacity of 155mm artillery shells eightfold.

The announcements come as Britain, the US and global allies met at the Nato summit in Lithuania. Rishi Sunak last night said Nato is ‘more confident and more united than ever’.