A £135 million contract to maintain and repair the Royal Navy's Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes was reported on 4 August 2026 to support around 315 jobs across the UK, according to the Ministry of Defence. The Torpedo Repair and Maintenance contract was awarded to BAE Systems and runs from July 2026 to June 2029.

Of the total, 150 engineering and technician roles are directly supported at BAE Systems: 100 in Portsmouth and 50 across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and near Glasgow. A further 165 jobs are supported through the company's UK supply chain. The work covers torpedoes used by submarines, surface warships and maritime patrol aircraft, and is intended to bridge to a longer-term programme, WHITEHEAD2, planned from 2029 onwards.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the spending secured 315 skilled jobs. Rear Admiral Matt Stratton said the contract extension ensures a safe, reliable and continuous torpedo support capability, and BAE Systems' Scott Jamieson cited torpedo availability delivered since 2019.