Raytheon UK has signed a £250 million ($318 million) contract with the Ministry of Defence to provide 11 years of support and sustainment services to the Royal Air Force's Shadow R Mk.1 fleet.

RAF's Shadow R.Mk 1 (Picture source: RAF)

The contract supports Shadow aircraft maintenance, airworthiness management, design organization and supply chain support. When work begins in April 2019, 200 full-time jobs will be secured at Raytheon's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance hub in North Wales, with an additional 250 sustained within the UK supply chain. Raytheon UK will also support aircraft modification design and integration under the contract, which serves as an enabling agreement to upgrade the aircraft to the Mk.2 version.

Raytheon UK will collaborate with the MoD Defence Equipment and Support Fixed Wing Manned Airborne Surveillance delivery team on availability support, modifications and capability upgrades to the fleet.