BAE Systems in Ridsdale had the opportunity to demonstrate its world-class testing and evaluation site at Ridsdale, last week, when MP Guy Opperman visited the facility as part of a constituency tour.
The site, which was opened by Lord Armstrong in 1876, is the Company’s principal location for the test and evaluation of munitions with direct fire ranges of 50m, 100m, 200m and 300m.
As part of the visit, Mr Opperman was given a tour of the firing range where he was shown the cutting-edge technology behind munitions testing and evaluation; including high speed imagery and radar velocity plots. He then had the opportunity to watch a live firing demonstration of the Company’s 40mm cased telescoped ammunition.
Mr Opperman was also provided with a briefing on the ‘Next Generations Munitions Solution’, a 15-year contract, between BAE Systems and the UK Ministry Of Defence, covering the supply of munitions and engineering support. The contract, which commences in 2023, is worth approximately £2.4bn and will sustain around 4,000 highly skilled jobs both within the UK business and the wider supply chain.
To deliver the contract, BAE Systems has committed to spending approximately £70m on refurbishing and upgrading munitions facilities across the UK, with the latest technology and manufacturing processes, with approximately 70% of their future supply chain spend expected to be in the UK. With the Ridsdale Range being one of three sites located in the North of England, this reaffirms the Company’s contribution to help build the Northern Powerhouse and demonstrates their ongoing commitment to supporting the UK economy, in a post-covid era.
Commenting on the visit, Mr Opperman said: “It was brilliant to visit and meet the team at BAE Systems in Ridsdale. The site continues to create highly skilled, highly paid local jobs, with another apprentice starting in September 2021.
“The current 15-year contract shows BAE Systems’ commitment to local jobs in Northumberland, meaning the North East is literally making us all safer.
“I look forward to continue working with BAE Systems to ensure local people’s jobs are supported.”