Ministry of Defence scraps Type 31 support competition

Britain's Ministry of Defence discontinued the competition for through-life support of the Royal Navy's Type 31 frigates after reviewing the procurement approach. Parliamentary answers said the assumptions concerning program delivery and the structure of future support arrangements no longer represented the most appropriate route, while the requirement to support the fleet remains unchanged. The department is considering replacement arrangements under its normal commercial and value-for-money processes, without identifying a revised support model or new competition timetable. The cancellation concerns sustainment procurement for five Babcock-built Inspiration-class frigates under construction at Rosyth, rather than cancellation of the shipbuilding program.