Jobs secured as Marshall Aerospace wins big defence contract

A new £350 million contract to maintain the RAF's Hercules military transporters will help sustain hundreds of British jobs, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The Hercules Integrated Operational Support contract should save the taxpayer #170 million by replacing a number of short-term contracts with one to service the aircraft until the end of 2015.

The MoD says the new deal with Marshall Aerospace will support 500 jobs in the UK.

The majority of the work will be at the Marshall facility at Cambridge Airport but the supply chain will be managed by Lockheed Martin in Havant, Stansted and Gloucester. Rolls-Royce and sub-contractor Vector Aerospace will maintain engines at Filton, Hook, Croydon and Brize Norton.