Ultra Electronics extends sonobuoys supply contract with Royal Navy

Defence and security firm Ultra Electronics has won a contract extension from the Royal Navy for the supply of sonobuoys that it said is worth £9.7m.

The FTSE 250 company’s command and sonar systems sonobuoy facility in Greenford, Middlesex was awarded a contract extension to supply sonobuoys for the Royal Navy's Merlin Mk2 maritime patrol helicopter fleet.

The contract extension builds on its initial contract won in 2015 and enables the company to support “technology capability insertion and international collaboration” in the future.

It also ensures that the Royal Navy can maintain anti-submarine warfare surveillance capability against hostile submarines.

Ultra's chief executive, Rakesh Sharma, said: "Our long-standing partnership with the Merlin project team has allowed us to sustain and further develop the nation's airborne anti-submarine warfare capability, preserving a key battle-winning advantage for UK armed forces."