Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
London Daily Telegraph
June 3, 2008 By Russell Hotten, Industry Editor
After years of delay, the Ministry of Defence has finally signed the initial phase of a £6bn, 25-year deal to transfer the running of military pilot training to the private sector.
Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defence company, and Britain's VT Group, signed a contract yesterday to take over some Air Force ground facilities.
The first phase, a deal worth £635m, should lead to Ascent taking control of all flight crew training for planes and helicopters, equipping classrooms and hangars and working with the MoD on acquisitions of new aircraft. The training will cover all three military services.
Ascent was named preferred bidder for the contract in November 2006, but the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) contract has been under discussion at the MoD for more than six years.
Yesterday's announcement is the third large MoD deal to be announced recently. In March, VT was part of a consortium that won a deal to build and maintain RAF mid-air refuelling tankers. Earlier this month the Government approved the building of two aircraft carriers.
"MFTS is a major programme for VT and extremely important for UK military air crew," VT chief executive Paul Lester said. "It also consolidates our position as one of the Ministry of Defence's leading partners in defence support services."
The MFTS programme will be funded with a private finance initiative and a "conventional acquisition", the Treasury says. Royal Bank of Scotland arranged financing for the joint venture.
Pilots will be trained to fly aircraft including Eurofighter Typhoons, Boeing Chinook helicopters and Boeing C-17 cargo planes.
June 3, 2008 By Russell Hotten, Industry Editor
After years of delay, the Ministry of Defence has finally signed the initial phase of a £6bn, 25-year deal to transfer the running of military pilot training to the private sector.
Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defence company, and Britain's VT Group, signed a contract yesterday to take over some Air Force ground facilities.
The first phase, a deal worth £635m, should lead to Ascent taking control of all flight crew training for planes and helicopters, equipping classrooms and hangars and working with the MoD on acquisitions of new aircraft. The training will cover all three military services.
Ascent was named preferred bidder for the contract in November 2006, but the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) contract has been under discussion at the MoD for more than six years.
Yesterday's announcement is the third large MoD deal to be announced recently. In March, VT was part of a consortium that won a deal to build and maintain RAF mid-air refuelling tankers. Earlier this month the Government approved the building of two aircraft carriers.
"MFTS is a major programme for VT and extremely important for UK military air crew," VT chief executive Paul Lester said. "It also consolidates our position as one of the Ministry of Defence's leading partners in defence support services."
The MFTS programme will be funded with a private finance initiative and a "conventional acquisition", the Treasury says. Royal Bank of Scotland arranged financing for the joint venture.
Pilots will be trained to fly aircraft including Eurofighter Typhoons, Boeing Chinook helicopters and Boeing C-17 cargo planes.