Defence sector experts from Bristol-headquarter national law firm Burges Salmon have advised defence training firm Ascent on its £1.1bn helicopter training deal with the MoD.
Ascent – a 50:50 joint venture between UK support services group Babcock and US defence giant Lockheed Martin – secured the contract under the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme.
The deal includes 32 Airbus training helicopters with through life support along. Lockheed Martin and Babcock will deliver ground-based training equipment and infrastructure to support the rotary wing training capability.
New facilities and infrastructure will train more than 250 military helicopter pilots and rear crew every year until 2033.
Burges Salmon put in place a team of defence sector lawyers comprising a range of specialisms from across the firm including projects, employment, pensions, real estate, tax, commercial and corporate.
The core project team included Rupert Lugg, Marcus Walters, Rory Trust and trainee solicitors Hannah Craig and Charlotte Holgate. The cross departmental team was led by defence sector partners Matt Ramus and Keith Beattie.
Ascent was appointed as the Ministry of Defence’s training service partner in 2008 and is responsible for providing flying training for Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army Air Corps future aircrew.
In February the Burges Salmon team advised Ascent on the financial close of a £1.1bn fixed-wing package with UKMFTS.
Below: An MoD infographic showing helicopter pilot training under the UKMFTS with Ascent. Crown Copyright
