Ministry of Defence Awards £12 Million Vehicle Repair Contract to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land

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The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £12 million contract to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) for the repair and overhaul of fire suppression systems on a wide range of British Army armoured vehicles. The two-year agreement, which includes options to extend up to four years, is being delivered under the supervision of Babcock Land Defence Limited.

The contract covers critical maintenance work on multiple vehicle types, including the Challenger 2 main battle tank, the CRARRV recovery variant, the Trojan and Titan engineer vehicles, Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, Bulldog armoured personnel carriers, CVR(T) reconnaissance platforms, BRV, and the Terrier combat engineering vehicle.

RBSL, which operates a key support facility in Telford, will carry out the work. The company has been selected through a single-source procurement route due to its exclusive rights to repair and test fire suppression systems supplied by L’Hotellier, the original equipment manufacturer. RBSL holds the sole UK authorisation to perform this work, owing to its access to critical technical data.

The fire suppression systems are vital for the protection and survivability of crew members operating in high-risk environments. The contract aims to ensure these safety systems remain functional and combat-ready across the operational fleet.

This latest award builds on RBSL’s growing role within the UK’s defence industrial base. The company, a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rheinmetall, is currently delivering the Challenger 3 upgrade programme and was recently awarded a £16 million contract to support the Fuchs/Fox nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance vehicles.

Local officials in Telford have welcomed the announcement, citing the positive impact on skilled jobs and the regional defence manufacturing sector. The contract supports the Government’s wider objective to preserve sovereign defence capabilities and sustain critical expertise within the UK supply chain.

This procurement highlights the Ministry’s continued reliance on trusted domestic partners for specialist military support services, especially where proprietary technology limits open competition. It also reflects a broader trend in UK defence contracting, where secure, high-skill capabilities are maintained through long-term industrial partnerships.