UK's Helicopter Factory Hangs by Thread as MoD Deadline Looms
The future of around 3,000 jobs at a crucial UK military helicopter factory hangs in the balance, with industry sources warning that failure to secure a lucrative £1bn order within weeks could lead to its closure. Leonardo Helicopters, the Italian-owned firm behind the former Westland factory in Yeovil, Somerset, is under pressure from MoD to finalize an agreement on the "new medium helicopter" contract by March.
The bid process has been marred by delays, with some sources suggesting that the MoD's promised deadline for making a decision is now slipping further away. With just weeks left before the bid's "best and final offer" expires, Leonardo is growing increasingly desperate for clarity on whether it has won the deal. Insiders fear that if this doesn't materialize, the company will be forced to restart the entire process, which would leave its supply chain - and therefore the factory - in chaos.
In a letter to defence secretary John Healey last month, Leonardo's CEO Roberto Cingolani warned that any delay or cancellation of the contract would force a reevaluation of the company's UK strategy. The current uncertainty has already had a significant impact on workers at the Yeovil plant, who are left wondering what their future holds while the government dithers and delays.
The situation is further complicated by the lack of transparency from the MoD, which has been criticized for its failure to release details of the proposed defence investment plan. While ministers have pledged to boost defence spending in light of the increased threat from Russia, the delay in announcing a specific plan has left industry experts frustrated.
The Unite union's general secretary Sharon Graham has expressed her concerns about the future of Leonardo workers in Yeovil, warning that they must be given clarity on whether their jobs are at risk. "This uncertainty must end by confirming the order for medium-lift helicopters," she said.
Despite the pressure from industry, the MoD remains tight-lipped about its plans for the new helicopter contract. A spokesperson simply stated that the UK's defence budget is rising to record levels and that demands on defence are increasing due to growing Russian aggression. However, with just weeks left before the deadline for the bid, it remains to be seen whether Leonardo will secure the deal it so desperately needs to avoid closure.
The future of around 3,000 jobs at a crucial UK military helicopter factory hangs in the balance, with industry sources warning that failure to secure a lucrative £1bn order within weeks could lead to its closure. Leonardo Helicopters, the Italian-owned firm behind the former Westland factory in Yeovil, Somerset, is under pressure from MoD to finalize an agreement on the "new medium helicopter" contract by March.
The bid process has been marred by delays, with some sources suggesting that the MoD's promised deadline for making a decision is now slipping further away. With just weeks left before the bid's "best and final offer" expires, Leonardo is growing increasingly desperate for clarity on whether it has won the deal. Insiders fear that if this doesn't materialize, the company will be forced to restart the entire process, which would leave its supply chain - and therefore the factory - in chaos.
In a letter to defence secretary John Healey last month, Leonardo's CEO Roberto Cingolani warned that any delay or cancellation of the contract would force a reevaluation of the company's UK strategy. The current uncertainty has already had a significant impact on workers at the Yeovil plant, who are left wondering what their future holds while the government dithers and delays.
The situation is further complicated by the lack of transparency from the MoD, which has been criticized for its failure to release details of the proposed defence investment plan. While ministers have pledged to boost defence spending in light of the increased threat from Russia, the delay in announcing a specific plan has left industry experts frustrated.
The Unite union's general secretary Sharon Graham has expressed her concerns about the future of Leonardo workers in Yeovil, warning that they must be given clarity on whether their jobs are at risk. "This uncertainty must end by confirming the order for medium-lift helicopters," she said.
Despite the pressure from industry, the MoD remains tight-lipped about its plans for the new helicopter contract. A spokesperson simply stated that the UK's defence budget is rising to record levels and that demands on defence are increasing due to growing Russian aggression. However, with just weeks left before the deadline for the bid, it remains to be seen whether Leonardo will secure the deal it so desperately needs to avoid closure.
3k jobs at stake and no one knows what's going on 
like how can u not give ppl clarity on their future? 
it's all about saving a buck, not people's livelihoods 
and btw why r they being so secretive about the defence plan 
just tell us if ur gonna save the factory or not 
tho why r they being so secretive bout dis? its like dey dont want us 2 no what's goin on 
hope leonardo gets de deal, ppl r countin on dem 
! I mean, come on MoD, get your act together already! A £1bn order that's due in weeks and you're still messing around? That's not how contracts work, guys! Leonardo Helicopters has been playing by the rules, sending out their best bid, and what do they get? Radio silence. 
.
. We can't just assume that everything will magically work out because the government says so. Give us some real news for once! 
- "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela 
this is really stressful for those workers at the factory in Yeovil... I can imagine how scary it must be not knowing if their jobs are safe after all these delays and uncertainty 
. The lack of transparency from the MoD is just adding to the frustration, it's like they're keeping everyone in the dark on purpose 
.
. Like, 3k jobs at stake and still no clarity on whether Leonardo will get the order? 
It's not just about the factory in Yeovil, it's about the people who are going to lose their jobs 
. And what's with all these delays? Can't they just make a decision already? 
i cant even imagine if they close down like thats all the ppl who work there r counting on that contract 2 come thru for them ASAP pls modyourmind dont keep us in suspense lol u gotta give em some clarity or else we'll be stuck with a bunch of upset workers 
also, why do we need to keep restarting this bid process every few months? it's like they're not even trying to make a decision 
... and now the company is growing desperate, workers are worried about their future... what's the point of having a defence budget if you can't even give people clarity on their jobs? 
. I mean, who gets that kind of info? The Unite union is right tho, gotta give those workers some clarity ASAP 
! Leonardo's CEO sounds super desperate too 
[GIF: A cartoon character holding their head and saying "Oh no, I'm just a helicopter factory..."] 
It's not right. The lack of transparency from the MoD is infuriating 
. We need to know what's going on so we can plan for the future 
. And what's with all these delays and last-minute changes? It's like they're trying to keep everyone in limbo 
. and now leonardo's ceo is threatening to reevaluate their uk strategy if things don't go through... that's not good news for the factory 
. fingers crossed they get that order and everyone can breathe a sigh of relief 
It's like they're just expecting everyone to just chill and wait for the government to figure things out. But the thing is, people's lives are at risk here - 3,000 jobs are on the line and workers are being left in the dark. 
