Rosyth Dockyard Tapped For Frigate Refits

The British government contracted Scotland's Rosyth dockyard, operated by a unit of engineering company Babcock International Group, to refit five navy frigates. The work will be worth around 75 million pounds ($107 million) and should secure work for the yard on the Firth of Forth for the next four years, Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said in a statement. "This...demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with industry to deliver first class defense at best value for the taxpayer," Hoon said. "This commitment ensures a steady stream of work at the Dockyard extending beyond 2004." The contract for the refit of five Type 23 frigates is part of a program of work allocated to dockyard owners Babcock Rosyth Defense Ltd. when they bought the yard four years ago. The Ministry of Defense is still in discussion with Babcock and the commercial owners of the Devenport and Portsmouth dockyards over wider plans to tackle the problem of over capacity in warship maintenance and repair, a department official said. - (Reuters)