A MULTI-MILLION pound contract negotiated by the Ministry of Defence is set to secure at least 200 jobs in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire for a major aviation project.

As well as the highly-skilled roles, the £410m contract will also provide in-service support for the UK’s Atlas A400M aircraft, securing a key part of the RAF airlift fleet until 2026.

The in-service support contract is expected to provide around 200 jobs in the supply chain of the programme’s UK supply chain, including in GKN and Rolls Royce in Filton, and Messier Dowty in Gloucester.

The in-service support contract will also sustain around 200 UK jobs with Airbus Defence and Space, focused around RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

The A400M is the latest addition to the RAF’s tactical airlifter capability and can carry up to 37 tonnes of payload over a range of 2,000 nautical miles, able to deploy troops and equipment between and within theatres of operation either by parachute or by landing on short, potentially unprepared airstrips.

Atlas can also carry armoured vehicles, allowing a deploying force to arrive ready to fight. For humanitarian roles, it is capable of deploying mobile cranes, excavators and large dump trucks for disaster relief operations– for example clearing earthquake sites.

Air Marshal Julian Young, chief of materiel (air) at the MOD’s defence equipment and support organisation said: “The A400M Atlas will form the backbone of the Royal Air Force’s Strategic and Tactical Air Transport capability over the next decade and beyond.

“This key contract will deliver maintenance for our A400M Atlas fleet, enabling this class-leading aircraft to support UK military operations around the globe.”

The RAF currently has 14 Atlas aircraft in service, with the planned fleet of 22 scheduled to enter service by 2019.

The contract with Airbus will pay for maintenance, upgrade and repair of the UK’s entire fleet of Atlas transport planes into the next decade.

Tony Douglas, CEO for the UK’s defence equipment and support organisation, said: “The UK’s future armed forces will be prepared to respond quickly to global developments and the delivery of next-generation aircraft such as Atlas is vital to the fulfilment of this vision.

“As part of the wider Atlas programme, this new support contract draws on multinational cooperation and the strong relationships across UK Defence that are delivering this remarkable aircraft to the RAF.”