AEA wins £47m defence contract

ENGINEERING group AEA Technology is to create up to 300 jobs after winning a £47m contract from the Ministry of Defence. The MoD has appointed AEA, based in Didcot, Oxfordshire, sole supplier of the batteries and chargers used in battlefield communications.

The group employs 120 people at its battery plant in Thurso in the Scottish Highlands but said it would now hire up to 200 people over the next three years to fulfil the MoD contract to supply 140,000 battery packs and 10,000 chargers.

In addition, AEA will build a new facility employing about 100 people to make the chargers.

The group is discussing funding for the plant with local development agencies but it is expected to be built in Scotland.

AEA is the former state-run Atomic Energy Authority which is in the process of quitting the nuclear industry.