MP50 Radios Support & Repair Contract

The Multi Helicopters Platform Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 2-year contract with Axnes AS for the Support and Repair of the MP50 Transceiver Hand-Held Radios and Ancillaries operated with the PNG wireless intercom system in use on the Chinook HC Mk 5/6/6A and Jupiter HC Mk2 Aircraft based in Brunei and Cyprus, the latter repurposed from the Puma HC Mk2 that was decommissioned from service in March 2025. The contract includes aspects of technical support and repair or replacement as required, and will include an option to extend the term of the contract.

This Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, Part 1 Section 7(1)(c) Defence and Security Contract, and Part 3 Chapter 3 Section 41(1)(a) and 41(6) Direct Award. It is considered that the award of the contract is lawful in accordance with Schedule 5 Direct Award Justifications paragraphs 6(a) and 6(b), and 7(a) and 7(b).

Axnes AS are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) of the MP50 Transceiver Radio and are the only economic entity with access to the necessary technical information, knowledge and expertise, to fulfil the technical support and underwrite the integrity of any such repairs required of this contract to ensure performance and safety of the users are not compromised. There are no reasonable alternatives.

The equipment being supported under this contract have been repurposed offering value for money to the customer, a change of supplier would oblige the Authority to acquire a different radio-communication device with different technical characteristics that would be incompatible with the existing systems, resulting in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance. Having users that were trained and operating aircraft with

different characteristics would lead to an unacceptable level of safety risk, even if additional training measures, supplementary technical documentation and user manuals were in place, and would unnecessarily increase obligations and costs in managing a diversified supply chain.