Boeing has secured a £879m ($1.1bn) Rotary Wing Enterprise (RWE) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide long-term maintenance and support services for the UK’s Apache and Chinook helicopters.
The agreement will unify support services for both rotary fleets through a single contract for the first time, the MoD said in a press statement on 15 April 2026.
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The contract aims to streamline operations, improve the maintenance process, and offer greater value for taxpayers by consolidating resources that were previously managed separately for each fleet.
Boeing Defence UK estimates the contract will sustain around 700 of its jobs across locations in Southern England and Scotland, including Middle Wallop, Odiham, Wattisham, Bristol, Gosport, Yeovil, and Almondbank.
In addition to the roles directly at Boeing, the contract is expected to support a further 500 jobs across the wider UK supply chain, encompassing 300 positions at UK partner StandardAero.
Apprenticeship numbers are anticipated to increase by up to 50 over the next three years as part of ongoing workforce initiatives.
Boeing Defence UK will deliver services such as aircraft maintenance, technical support, logistics, and training across both the Royal Air Force’s Chinook and British Army’s Apache fleets.
Boeing’s Apache AH-64E is one of the most advanced attack helicopters, featuring radar capable of passively identifying the location of potential threats without disclosing the aircraft’s position.
The system can detect over 1,000 targets, classify 256 of them, and prioritise 16 in a short time frame.
In January, the Ministry of Defence selected seven suppliers to propose designs for an uncrewed air system to work with the Apache AH-64E.
The UK Armed Forces’ Chinook helicopters conduct a range of tasks, including troop movement, supply delivery, and casualty evacuation, with the ability to transport up to 55 personnel or 10 tonnes of cargo.
Boeing Defence UK managing director Thom Breckenridge said: “By consolidating support contracts, Boeing Defence UK will provide a more integrated and efficient service to the Ministry of Defence, enhancing platform readiness and sustaining over 700 highly skilled jobs.”
This contract forms part of ongoing government defence spending, which is projected to reach £270bn over the current parliamentary term.
Recently, the MoD awarded a £1bn contract for a new medium helicopter programme and invested half a billion on radar system upgrades for Typhoon jets.
The ministry also announced a £100 million funding boost for P8 maritime patrol aircraft, and a contract with Cambridge Aerospace for new interceptor missiles and launchers.
UK Defence Readiness and Industry, Minister Luke Pollard said: “We are investing record levels into defence, meaning no return to the hollowed out and underfunded Armed Forces of the past, while making defence an engine for growth.”
