Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has welcomed the news following the Prime Minister’s Statement on the Strategic Defence and Security Review, that Bilbrook based company MOOG will be manufacturing parts of the new maritime aircraft commissioned by the government.
As part of the £178 billion investment in defence equipment and support over the next decade, the Prime Minister announced that nine new Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircraft for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare, will be commissioned. This will increase further the protection of our nuclear deterrent and our new aircraft carriers. The actuators of the new patrol aircraft will be manufactured at MOOG on the i54 business park in Bilbrook. The manufacturing of this will result in £1 billion of orders for UK defence suppliers as part of the whole programme for the maritime patrol aircraft.
These aircraft will also provide maritime search and rescue and surveillance capabilities over land and will be able to carry torpedoes, as well as being fitted with a broad range of sensors, including radar and sonobuoys, which are operated from the rear of the cabin by a team of specialists.
Following the announcement Gavin said: “This is fantastic news for MOOG and a huge boost for manufacturing in South Staffordshire. The purchase of the actuators means a massive £1bn worth of orders for the UK defence suppliers, showing South Staffordshire is at the forefront of the UK’s defence manufacturing industry.
“Thanks to continuing investment and support, businesses such as MOOG are currently going from strength to strength right across South Staffordshire. This means a growth in the number of jobs available to local residents and leads to increased prosperity for the entire area.
“I am proud that we are the only major country in the world which is simultaneously going to meet the NATO target of spending 2 per cent of our GDP on defence and the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of our GNI on development, while also increasing investment in our security and intelligence agencies and in counter-terrorism. Today’s announcements underline how committed we are to the long-term, future security of Britain.”