County Durham: Defence Minister announces contract extension for Cook Defence Systems

Cook Defence Systems, in Stanhope has secured an extension to its contract to supply spare tracks for the Challenger 2 main battle tank and other combat, reconnaissance and engineering vehicles for the British Army.

• WATCH: Molten steel poured for tank tracks 

The UK company – Weardale’s most valued employer – is the world’s leading independent designer and manufacturer of track systems for armoured vehicles. Its tracks are in service on almost all the tracked vehicles in the British Army and with many other armed forces around the world.

The Minister of Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, at Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope, County Durham pictured with William Cook, Group Commercial Director Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin MP, visited the company yesterday to announce the contract extension, toured the world-class facilities and met representatives of Cook Defence Systems.

The one-year extension worth £11m covers the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle, the Bulldog troop carrier, the Stormer air defence vehicle, the CVR(T) reconnaissance vehicle, the Terrier armoured digger and the Challenger 2, soon to be upgraded to Europe’s most lethal tank Challenger 3.

The company is also supplying tracks for the AJAX programme, the next generation of armoured fighting vehicles manufactured by General Dynamics UK for the British Army.

After a tour of the workshops Mr Quin said: “You say this company is sustained by the Ministry of Defence, well the British Army is sustained by this company.

Cook Defence Systems at Stanhope Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“I was hugely impressed by the company, by the workforce and what they are doing.

“It’s great to see that what they are producing her is going half way around the world. Without their tracks on our armoured vehicles the would literally grind to a halt.

“We are putting a lot of investment into our armoured vehicles. We are putting £24billion extra into defence over the next four years.”

Addressing the workforce, he added: “The nature of warfare has changed things have moved on, but what has not changed is the vital importance of armour as part of that component.

“What you are all doing here, I assure you, is absolutely critical. Thank you for doing what you are doing, because it’s tracks like these on our Ajax vehicles, that will be coming into service, that our people rely upon to do the job they do.

The Minister of Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, at Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope, County Durham pictured with William Cook, Group Commercial Director Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“That is is to help defend us, to deter our adversaries and to ensure that we can continue to work for a peaceful world. What you are doing is at the core of that.”

“Secondly what you are doing is helping build economic prosperity in this wonderful part of the UK and throughout the UK.

“And thirdly, it’s great to hear from apprentices here about how they are combining work on the factory floor with going out to do degrees. It is going to add value to this company in so many ways – upscaling and ensuring that we continue to up our game.”

Mr Quin said it was also important that to retain critical skills and capabilities here in the UK.

“We’ve recently announced a defence industrial policy,” he said.

Cook Defence Systems at Stanhope Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“We are looking to ensure that we are supportive of companies that are doing the right thing - investing in their workforce, upskilling their workforce and putting the right investment into their means of production, which exactly what is being seen and done here.

“It’s been great to see a really enthusiastic and positive workforce.”

Cook Defence Systems has invested £5m in its Stanhope site since 2019 to expand its manufacturing and testing capabilities and will invest a further £1m this year on new equipment including a new heat treatment facility and a new robotic digital X-ray inspection system.

William Cook, director of Cook Defence Systems, said: “While we supply our products to British allies around the world, this export success is underpinned by our status as a strategic supplier to the UK MOD.

“We are proud that our products keep the British Army ready for a real fight against a real adversary. Our tracks keep British tanks moving and our steel keeps British soldiers safe.

Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope, County Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“As our most important customer, we were delighted to have the opportunity to show the Minister for Defence Procurement our world-class track design and manufacturing facilities here in the North East of England.”

He added: “This company and this community are sustained by the support and loyalty of the Ministry of Defence, and we are very gratefully indeed.

“Without this factory and this workforce the British Army would quite literally grind to halt. I know tracks and armour aren’t particularly fashionable in this age of drones and cyber warfare, but in real fight against a real adversary you stop steel with steel and I know that all of the people here are very proud to play their part in keeping British troops ready for that fight.”

North West Durham MP Richard Holden said: “It was an absolute pleasure to visit Cook Defence Systems, which is a world-leading firm based at the heart of of my constituency, with Jeremy Quin MP.

“I received an assurance from Jeremy last summer that he would visit Cook Defence Systems and I am delighted he has now been able to see in person the company’s work and the investment it is making, both in the defence of our country and in North West Durham and Stanhope.

Richard Holden MP at Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope, County Durham Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“The company’s long-term plans and job creation and apprenticeship schemes for young people are particularly welcome.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Cook Defence Systems and the Minister going forward and am delighted the company has received recognition on the national stage for the significant work it does.”

He added: "Eighty per cent of the people who work here live in my constituency, in Stanhope, Crook and Consett, soit is a massive local employer.

"It's great to see their export drive going up and up. We have placed like Singapore, which a big export market for htem and a lot of European countries as well. And they keep bidding for those international contracts

Cook Defence Systems employs 125 skilled engineers including a number of apprentices and supports hundreds more jobs in its British supply chain. The company sources the vast majority of the steel for its track systems from UK suppliers.

Cook Defence Systems has recently invested in the development of high-strength armoured steel for the BOXER 8x8 vehicles being built by a German-led consortium for the British Army.