Last Updated on April 2, 2026 by allieddispatch | Published: March 26, 2026
By Allied Dispatch UK
UK Defence News
The UK Government has announced a £283.5 million package to maintain and support around 3,000 smaller military vessels used across the Armed Forces.
The contracts, awarded by the Ministry of Defence, will cover boats operated by the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and MOD Police. These include everything from high-speed operational craft and training vessels to small patrol ships such as the P2000 class.
The programme will run until 2033 and is expected to create and sustain over 100 skilled jobs across the UK, with activity spanning from Scotland to Cornwall.
The contracts have been split across five suppliers, reflecting the specialist nature of small boat support and the MOD’s continued use of a mixed industrial base.
The companies involved are:
- Babcock
- Serco
- Golden Arrow Marine
- UK Docks
- Griffon Marine Ltd
These firms will deliver support across nine separate contract areas, covering maintenance, repair, logistics, and ongoing capability management.
Notably, three of the five suppliers are UK SMEs, with around £250 million of the total value flowing through UK-based businesses.
The work is also expected to support regional infrastructure, including the reopening of docks in Teesside and activity around key naval hubs such as Portsmouth, Devonport and the Clyde.
While these vessels rarely attract attention, they underpin a wide range of routine defence activity.
Across the Armed Forces, small boats are used for:
- Harbour and force protection
- Boarding and interception operations
- Support for wider tasks.
In effect, they represent the day-to-day maritime layer of defence activity—low visibility, but consistently in use.