BAE’s Upcoming GBP 400M Deal to Support UK’s Harrier fleet

GR7 Harrier II(click to view full) DID has covered the performance of Britain’s Harrier IIs before, and also Britain’s procurement trend toward “Future Contracting for Availability,” i.e. all-encompassing, performance-based lifecycle maintenance contracts. Now Flight International reports that BAE Systems is to receive a GBP 400 million ($706 million at current conversion) availability-based contract to provide support for the UK’s Harrier II GR9/9A (most advanced AV-8B counterpart) until the type leaves service around 2018. The Joint Availability Support Solution (JASS) deal will apparently be agreed with prime contractor BAE by May 2007, following the completion of an assessment phase launched in July 2005. The contract will reportedly have BAE oversee the in-service support of “repairable avionics, structures, general systems components and consumable articles” for the 60-aircraft GR9/9A fleet, while Rolls-Royce will receive a contract to support the Harriers’ Pegasus engines. See Flight International for further details, and DID’s June 2007 coverage for the follow-up.