The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a £135 million contract to maintain and repair the Royal Navy’s Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes, supporting hundreds of skilled jobs while ensuring the fleet’s underwater weapons remain operational.
The three-year Torpedo Repair and Maintenance (TRAM) contract runs from July 2026 to June 2029 and will sustain approximately 315 jobs across the United Kingdom, including 150 highly skilled engineering and technician positions directly within BAE Systems and a further 165 jobs throughout the company’s domestic supply chain.
The contract includes around 100 jobs in Portsmouth and 50 additional positions across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and the Glasgow area.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the programme forms part of the UK’s wider £298 billion Defence Investment Plan, which aims to strengthen military capabilities while supporting economic growth and high-skilled employment across the country.
The TRAM programme will ensure the Royal Navy’s torpedo inventory remains combat-ready until the launch of the longer-term WHITEHEAD2 programme, which is scheduled to introduce a modernized torpedo support solution from 2029.
The Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo is the Royal Navy’s primary submarine-launched weapon for engaging both surface ships and submarines. The Sting Ray Mod 1 is a lightweight anti-submarine warfare torpedo that can be deployed from frigates, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft against submarine threats in both open-ocean and littoral environments.
The Ministry of Defence said maintaining these weapons is essential to protecting UK waters, safeguarding maritime trade routes and supporting the country’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent.
The contract continues BAE Systems’ long-standing role as a key supplier and sustainment partner for the Royal Navy’s underwater weapons capability while reinforcing the UK’s domestic defence industrial base.