LONDON: Britain on Wednesday awarded contracts worth £3.2 billion to support the management of the nation's naval bases and upkeep of the fleet.
The deals, worth the equivalent of $5.2 billion or 4.1 billion euros, will help secure 7,500 jobs in Britain, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
British engineering support services firm Babcock has been won a £2.6 billion contract, while defence giant BAE Systems has clinched a £600-million deal, it added.
Babcock manages two naval bases -- Faslane on the River Clyde in Scotland and Devonport in southwestern England. BAE Systems manages the base in Portsmouth, also on the English south coast.
"This huge investment in our naval bases will directly sustain more than 7,500 jobs and skills across the UK and ensure that the Royal Navy's fleet of 56 warships and submarines are in the best possible condition and available for operations," said the government's defence secretary Michael Fallon in the statement.
The deals will meanwhile secure around 1,500 jobs at Faslane, up to 4,000 posts at Devonport and more than 2,000 positions at Portsmouth. (AFP)
