BAE Systems lined up for Spearfish torpedo development work

The UK Ministry of Defence is planning an approximately £30 million direct award to BAE Systems for development work on the Royal Navy's Spearfish heavyweight torpedo. An October 28 pipeline notice identifies BAE as the system's design authority and envisages a five-year contract beginning in 2027, with three optional one-year extensions. The notice is a procurement plan rather than an award, and a tender notice is provisionally expected on November 30. The work would follow the Spearfish Mod 1 upgrade, which introduced fibre-optic guidance, modernized electronics, a new warhead and a redesigned fuel system.