UK Gov't Support Deal to Sentinel Surveillance Aircraft to Sustain 160 New Jobs

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The UK government struck a deal with Raytheon UK, a technology company specialized in defense and security products, to support the British Sentinel surveillance aircraft, in a step that will ensure 160 new jobs across the United Kingdom, UK Minister for Defense Procurement Harriett Baldwin said Thursday.

"This new support contract will sustain 160 jobs across the UK and demonstrates the very tangible benefits which Defense is bringing to the nation’s economy," Baldwin said in a statement.

Under the contract, the Raytheon UK will provide the Sentinel with support and maintenance service for the next five years, in order to continue meeting the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) operational requirements. About 120 people will be hired at the RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and 40 other people will be hired at the Hawarden Airfield near Broughton, North Wales.

The Sentinel is a surveillance aircraft that is capable of scanning areas from a high distances, to give troops persistent, accurate and all-weather surveillance intelligence. It has served in many countries including Afghanistan and as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations in Libya in 2011.