PRIVATE contractors are to take over the maintenance of Britain's nuclear weapons on the Clyde after they signed a 15-year deal with the Ministry of Defence.
The contract will see 149 workers transfer to an alliance of companies, looking after Trident and Polaris weapons systems. The posts being transferred include specialist industrial and technical grades, warehousing operatives, logistic support services, supervisors and managers.
A further 39 Royal Navy posts will be seconded to the alliance. These are based at the Royal Navy Armament Depot at Coulport and the Strategic Weapon Support Building (SWSB) at Faslane.
The consortium, known as ABL Alliance, is made up of companies that already work on defence contracts, led by AWE, along with Babcock and Lockheed Martin.
The decision to privatise the work was reached in May last year, when the MoD decided the most effective way to sustain the workforce in the future was to use an "experienced supplier within the private sector".
The MoD said it would continue to own the bases and oversee security. A spokesman said: "HM Naval Base Clyde has an excellent safety record and we are determined to maintain the highest standards of safety.
"The MoD will continue to own the Naval Base sites, including Coulport, and Naval Base Commander Clyde will retain overall responsibility for security and for the activities carried out at Coulport and the SWSB.
"The site will continue to be a MoD Nuclear Authorised site."
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