6 April 2005

DML WINS MK 8 GUN UPGRADE

DML Group, the defence support specialist, has won the contract to upgrade 4.5 inch Mark 8 gun systems for Royal Navy warships. The contract was officially awarded by the MoD last week.

Under the contact DML will undertake major modification and overhaul work to convert Mk8 Mod 0 guns to Mod 1 standard, resulting in improved safety and reliability and a reduced maintenance requirement. DML will also provide technical services, engineering support services and logistics support at the waterfront and worldwide for all the newly modified 4.5 inch Mk8 gun systems, to deliver gun availability to defined levels.

The Mk8 Mod 1 is designed to address reliability and obsolescence problems - particularly those associated with hydraulic control and servo systems, which are replaced with electrical and electronic equipment for all functions except motions on the elevating mass. This also improves safety and power consumption efficiency, as well as reducing overall weight (by some four tonnes) and below-deck space requirements. Additionally, maintenance requirements are minimised by a computer-based test and diagnostics system, also being installed as part of the upgrade. Further, replacement time demands are kept to a minimum thanks to the gun's reduced ship-fit requirements.

DML's extensive experience as a leading defence contractor for weapon support work for the MoD, including having previously overhauled Mod 0 guns, and installed and set-to-work both Mod 0 and Mod 1 guns, has played a key role in securing the Mk8 gun upgrade contract.

Commenting on the win, DML's weapons business manager Robert Ryles highlighted the holistic element of the contract. "In addition to the first stage of undertaking the major upgrade package, the follow on in-service support for each gun is focussed on providing prompt technical advice, engineering services and logistics support against defined gun availability requirements, making this one of the latest in the 'new' style Holistic Engineering Support Solutions contracting," he pointed out.

"We'll be providing contractor logistics support (CLS) with a team from our Weapons Systems Engineering Group who will support the systems in-service. Central to this will be a technical help desk. Equally, we'll be taking responsibility for the provisioning of spares (including spares to be held, quantities and so on). By applying an intelligent approach and drawing on our extensive in-service experience, DML will ensure availability while minimising stock levels for maximum cost-efficiency. We will also be undertaking maintenance and unit repairs as required for their re-use on board. We're delivering CLS against specified availability targets measured by key performance indicators (KPIs)."

The Mod 1 gun upgrade contract takes effect immediately - with the first gun to be upgraded arriving at DML early April and the technical support element commencing in 15 months - and runs until October 2013. The first Mod 1 gun is required to be delivered in July 2006 and project planning for modification to achieve this is at an advanced stage.