Hydro Group Secures UK Defence Contract

Hydro Group plc, a global design and manufacturer of underwater cables and connectors for subsea, underwater, topside and onshore applications, has secured a contract with BAE Systems, valued at approximately £2 million, for work to be delivered over the next two years.

Hydro Group has been selected by BAE Systems to design, develop and qualify a range of connectorised through hull penetrators. These connectors are being developed for the Successor program as a replacement to the Vanguard class fleet of nuclear submarines, which will equip the U.K. Royal Navy with its long-term nuclear deterrent capability.

Graham Wilkie, Hydro Group Sales Director, said, “This contract is a significant step for Hydro Group, and reinforces the company’s 25 year commitment to supporting submarine system requirements. The project will engage a dedicated team of Hydro Group engineers specialised in the design and development of harsh environment underwater connection systems.”

Hydro Group’s cable and connectivity solutions are built to withstand the harshest environmental conditions, including salt water, shock, extreme temperature cycling and vibration. These factors place extreme pressure on the subsea systems, connectors and cables, resulting in the company’s connectors being designed and manufactured for flexibility and environmental endurance.

Malcolm Dare, Supply Chain Director at BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines, said: “Facing strong and established competitors, Hydro Group offered a highly innovative and cost-effective penetrator solution for our project.

“Experience of working within a harsh user environment, combined with fresh ideas saw Hydro Group emerge as favourites from a stringent down-selection process. This complete design and manufacture package will now lead U.K. submarines well into the next decade.”

Wilkie continued, “The team at Hydro Group is increasingly being asked for complex and challenging designs. Our engineers apply their extensive knowledge and capabilities in materials and applications, developed over 30 years of manufacturing, to provide the highest quality solutions, designed for their environment.”