A £24.37 million deal has been secured by Wigan-based Northern Diver International to provide scuba gear and voice communication systems to the Royal Navy and British Army.
The five-year contract, with the option of a two-year extension, was arranged through the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) arm of the Ministry of Defence, which was looking for a single source for “air diving equipment and diving dress and ancillaries” to simplify support to the armed forces.
Included in the deal are scuba sets, drysuits and wetsuits, watches, lights, knives, buoys and lines and comms systems. ND will lead associated training and the servicing and maintenance of supplied equipment.
The contract involves reviewing equipment reliability and defect reporting, so that changes that could lead to improvements and increased cost-effectiveness can be suggested along the way.
R&D investment for Northern Diver pays off
“Northern Diver has invested heavily in R&D, staff training and infrastructure over the past three years in preparation for such an opportunity,” said the manufacturer’s managing director Melanie Simm. “We are pleased to have won the contract and very proud to supply the Royal Navy, and we look forward to building on our partnership further going forward.”
“I’m extremely proud of the collaborative way we work with our partners and clients,” commented DE&S Salvage & Marine Operations head Andy Liddell. “This contract supports British industry and manufacturing and delivers significant capability enhancements for the Royal Navy end-users.”
Northern Diver is well known as a supplier of equipment for recreational divers in the UK – find more on its products here.
