Tank parts multimillion-pound deal 'protects jobs'

Cook Defence Systems makes tank parts in Stanhope

A new Ministry of Defence contract with an armoured vehicle parts factory, worth up to £125m, will help protect 125 jobs, company bosses have said.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, announced the three-year contract for Cook Defence Systems in Stanhope, County Durham, to supply spare tracks for the British Army's new Challenger 3 tanks.

Part of the William Cook Group, the factory has been manufacturing tracks and armour for tanks since World War Two.

Pollard said the contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) would not only strengthen the Army's "warfighting capability" but also "sustain hundreds of skilled jobs in the North East".

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the factory was already playing a "vital role" in the UK's commitment to Ukraine by supplying spare tracks for the Soviet-era vehicles used by the Ukrainian Army.

William Cook welcomed the investment

It also said the new deal was part of a wider defence investment, with the UK ramping up procurement of artillery ammunition, drones and combat spares "in response to lessons learned from Ukraine".

William Cook, Director of Cook Defence Systems, said the firm was "critical to the operational independence of the British Army and allied forces".

"This latest contract directly supports 125 jobs and underpins £5m of investment in new plant and machinery over the next 12 months," he added.