Babcock inks maintenance contract for Ukrainian Navy’s two minehunters

Defence company Babcock has been awarded a three-year contract to support and maintain two mine countermeasures vessels Cherkasy and Chernihiv for the Navy of Ukraine following their transfer from the Royal Navy.

The two minehunters will undergo planned maintenance and support by Babcock. The contract follows the company’s reconfiguration and recommissioning of the vessels to ready them for the Ukrainian Navy.

The company has also established Babcock Ukraine and has opened an office in-country, where a dedicated team will focus on supporting the Ukrainian partners. This move builds on the company’s wider ambitions in the central-eastern European region.

The Mine Counter Measure Vessels contract is underpinned by the tripartite Memorandum of Implementation signed in Odesa in June 2021 by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the UK Government and Babcock, and is part of a series of scheduled support to Ukraine’s defence capability.

As the prime industrial partner, it is Babcock’s first contract under the Ukraine Naval Capability Enhancement Program (UNCEP) which includes the enhancement of capabilities on existing naval platforms.

A team of mechanical and electrical engineers, working alongside fabricators, will provide preventative maintenance and technical support. Babcock will use its experience working on the Sandown class of mine countermeasure platforms to make improvements to the vessels, enhancing their operational capability and sustainability.

“Babcock’s role in international defence has never been more critical. As the lead industry partner in Ukraine’s naval capabilities enhancement programme, we are expertly placed to support these important naval assets. The recent announcement of our Ukrainian business, alongside this naval support contract, builds on the work we are already doing to support the country’s military land assets as part of the UK’s support for Ukraine,” David Lockwood, CEO Babcock said.

Babcock will also offer support at reach to the Navy of Ukraine, helping to equip the crew with real-time solutions to any problems they encounter. Technical advice and repairs can also be provided, whenever and wherever they are required.