Draken has finalised arrangements to extend its partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), ensuring the continuation of its Teesside activities, following a new £173m ($215.57m) contract with the MoD. 

The deal will see the company provide support for military training exercises with the Royal Air Force (RAF) for an additional four-year period. 

The contract aims to provide the armed forces training to counter a variety of threats, including air-to-air combat, electronic warfare, and missile assaults.  

Draken’s fleet of aircraft will be used to replicate potential threats for UK forces. 

This project aligns with the government’s Plan for Change, focusing on national security and stimulating economic growth.  

It also complements the recently introduced Defence Industrial Strategy, which promotes the defence sector as a catalyst for regional and national economic development. The agreement will support job opportunities across Bournemouth, Teesside, and the Midlands. 

Draken will conduct live exercises over the North Sea, where their private pilots will emulate the strategies of potential adversaries.  

Advanced electronic warfare technology will be employed to train Royal Naval personnel in defending Carrier Strike Group assets, and Army personnel will be trained in rapid intelligence gathering from aerial reconnaissance.  

To facilitate this training, Draken will operate a fleet that includes 14 Dassault Falcon 20, one Diamond DA42, and eight L-159E ‘Honey Badger’ fighter jets from bases at Teesside and Bournemouth.  

UK Air Officer Commanding 1 Group air vice marshal Mark Flewin said: “Our partnership with Draken is of fundamental importance as we continue to train and prepare all of our front-line forces to meet emerging threats across the globe. 

“The training delivered to date, simulating adversary threats while also allowing us to train in a representative and contested electro-magnetic environment, has never been more important to ensure the Royal Air Force is ready and able to support Nato and meet the threats of tomorrow. The contract will allow us to continue to evolve the high-end training available for all of our front-line forces, as we look to out-compete our potential adversaries.” 

The company has also committed to hiring a minimum of 12 apprentices at both sites.