Around 160 UK jobs will be secured after the delivery of a £131.5 million support contract for RAF Sentinel aircraft.

The new contract to provide support for the aircraft for the next five years is expected to sustain around 120 jobs at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and 40 roles at Hawarden Airfield near Broughton, North Wales.

The deal with Raytheon UK will provide the Sentinel aircraft with in-service support and maintenance, which means it will continue to meet the RAF’s operational requirements.

With the ability to gather intelligence on enemy movements and track specific targets, the Sentinel is still an important part of the UK’s operations against Daesh in Syria and Iraq

Minister for Defence Procurement, Harriett Baldwin, commented: “Sentinel aircraft provide vital intelligence to our Armed Forces, giving them the ability to make decisions that helps keep Britain safe, including on current operations against Daesh.

“As part of our £178bn equipment plan, this contract is supported by a Defence budget that will rise every year until the end of the decade, meeting the NATO commitment to spend 2% of GDP on Defence.

“This new support contract will sustain 160 jobs across the UK and demonstrates the very tangible benefits which Defence is bringing to the nation’s economy.“

Tony Douglas, chief executive officer of the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, added: “This support contract demonstrates how we are working collaboratively with industry to sustain UK jobs and to ensure our equipment remains fit for purpose and continues to meet the needs of our military customers.

“This contract was required to deliver on the decision in the 2015 SDSR to extend this key airborne surveillance platform, and I am delighted with the speed that the DE&S delivery team have worked with industry to negotiate this new contract, which is a testament to their drive, professionalism and delivery focus.“