Thales: Belfast missile-making firm awarded £223m contract

Thales employs about 600 people in east Belfast

A Belfast missile-making firm has been awarded a £223m contract to manufacture anti-tank missiles by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Thales will assemble thousands of missiles known as Next Generation Anti-Tank Weapon systems (Nlaw) for the Swedish manufacturer, Saab.

The missiles will be delivered to the Army over the next four years.

The UK has sent thousands of next generation anti-tank weapons, or Nlaws, to Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

Saab's Nlaw is a shoulder-launched missile system that attacks a tank from above.

They can be operated by a single soldier and are designed to destroy tanks at short range with a single shot.

This is not the first time that Thales, which employs about 600 people in Northern Ireland, has received a contract from the MoD.

In recent years, Thales secured contracts from the MoD worth hundreds of millions pounds.

It has also provided the final assembly of Nlaws for Saab since 2008.

• What weapons are being given to Ukraine by the UK?

• What military equipment is the world giving Ukraine?

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he was delighted to see further government funding and contracts awarded to what he called one of Northern Ireland's leading engineering companies.

Philip McBride, managing director of Thales Belfast, welcomed the announcement.

"Once again, Northern Ireland is demonstrating its significant role in the UK defence enterprise," Mr McBride said.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that by continuing to work with first-class industry partners, the UK was continuing to fulfil its commitment to Nato.

He said the contract would ensure the armed forces "will receive a steady supply of these weapons over the coming years, whilst supporting UK jobs across the length and breadth of the country".