Serco extends engineering contract for Royal Navy helicopters by 12 months

International services company Serco has been awarded a contract extension to continue to provide engineering support for Royal Navy helicopters at RNAS Yeovilton and Culdrose for an additional 12 months.

AAC Wildcat Mk1
Pictured is an Army Air Corps (AAC) Wildcat Mk1 Helicopter and it's Door Gunner. A .50Cal Browning M3M Machine Gun is fitted in the door gunner position. An entirely new platform, the Army Wildcat Mk1 helicopter will perform a range of tasks on the battlefield including reconnaissance, command and control, transportation of troops and material, and the provision of force protection. It is fitted with new Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) CTS800-4N engines, which are significantly more powerful than those in the previous Lynx helicopter, enabling it to operate in extreme conditions and at high altitudes. It is also fitted with a nose mounted optical device. The aircraft has a degree of commonality with its maritime sister and with increased versatility can be fitted for different roles quickly and easily. The Wildcat’s capability will be a significant advance on that provided by the previous Lynx fleet. The procurement of the LHTEC CTS800-4N engine was also extended to a number of Lynx Mk9 aircraft resulting in the Lynx Mk9a. This is providing better performance and a much improved light multi role capability in the extreme environmental conditions in Afghanistan.

International services company Serco has been awarded a contract extension to continue to provide engineering support for Royal Navy helicopters at RNAS Yeovilton and Culdrose for an additional 12 months.

Following a competitive tender process, Serco was initially awarded the contract for the provision of aircraft engineering support and airfield services at the two Royal Naval Air Stations back in July 2020. This recent extension will see Serco continue to provide these services until the end of March 2026.

“Our teams at RNAS Culdrose and Yeovilton make a real impact by providing critical engineering support to help keep the Royal Navy flying 365 days a year and we are delighted to have had this contract extended,” commented Doug Umbers, director of Serco’s defence business.

Serco’s services at the two locations encompass a wide variety of elements, including operational support to the Merlin helicopter force, support to the Commando helicopter force, airfield services support and flying training support.

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