The National Armaments Director Group has awarded Leonardo (UK) Ltd an initial £27 million contract to supply consumable spares across the UK Armed Forces’ complete fixed-wing and rotary-wing fleet, in a deal that carries a total potential value of up to £70 million over seven years and directly supports 75 UK defence industry jobs.
The Aircraft Consumables Commodities contract covers approximately 11,000 NATO Stock Numbers, the standardised catalogue references used to identify and procure military equipment, spanning platforms including Typhoon, Apache, Chinook, A400M and C-17. Several of those aircraft are currently deployed on live operations in the Middle East, giving the contract immediate operational significance beyond routine fleet sustainment. The initial three-year term carries options to extend for four further one-year periods, providing long-term supply chain certainty across one of the broadest platform portfolios in UK defence aviation.
The scope of Leonardo’s responsibility under the contract is notable. The company will take ownership of spares forecasting, stock procurement and obsolescence management across the covered fleet, operating a hybrid model that distinguishes between fast-moving, high-demand items managed proactively against stores availability, and slow-moving items handled through a more traditional demand-led approach. Critically, the contract consolidates equipment management at depot level rather than supplying individual units directly, a structural change from its predecessor designed to reduce complexity, improve responsiveness and deliver a more cost-effective model across the entire fleet.
David Arrowsmith, Vice President Support and Service Solutions UK at Leonardo, described the award as an opportunity to “take ownership of the full supply chain, from forecasting and procurement through to obsolescence management”, positioning Leonardo to deliver the responsiveness that modern defence operations demand. Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP framed the investment in terms of both operational readiness and industrial impact, noting its role in sustaining aircraft deployed in NATO airspace and the Middle East while supporting jobs across the UK.
For the wider supply chain, the consolidation model has direct implications. With Leonardo acting as the primary supply chain integrator across 11,000 NSNs and multiple platforms, tier-2 and tier-3 businesses supplying consumable components, managing obsolescence or providing logistics and warehousing support will increasingly engage through Leonardo rather than directly with the MOD. Understanding that supply chain architecture, and positioning accordingly, is commercially relevant for any business operating in defence aviation support.
Businesses with capabilities relevant to this contract and its supply chain should monitor the following areas:
- Consumable spares manufacture and NATO stock number-aligned component supply
- Obsolescence management and alternative sourcing for legacy aviation platforms
- Spares forecasting, inventory modelling and demand planning
- Depot-level logistics, warehousing and distribution for aviation components
- Platform-specific support across Typhoon, Apache, Chinook, A400M and C-17
- Airworthiness compliance and quality assurance for consumable aircraft parts
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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