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The Provision of Helicopter Under Slung Load Equipment (HUSLE) and Cargo Nets including PDS Support

Defence Equipment and Support

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

10 Sep 2026 at 12:20

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Defence Equipment and Support, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, is procuring helicopter under-slung load equipment (HUSLE), airdrop cargo nets and associated post-design services for the British Armed Forces. The requirement supports aerial delivery and resupply capabilities, including small boats aerial delivery, maritime resupply, land resupply and humanitarian aid. Post-design services include reviewing and reissuing airworthiness documentation to sustain the equipment. The work concerns defence equipment and maintenance services, including aircraft equipment and repair and maintenance of security and defence materials (CPV 34741000 and 50600000). The buyer is based at MOD Abbey Wood in Bristol, while the equipment supports operational requirements for the British Armed Forces. The requirement is subject to the defence and security regime and is organised as one completed lot.

This is an awarded, completed procurement resulting from a direct award to AmSafe Bridport Limited. The award was announced on 10 September 2026, with a pending award status and a scheduled signature date of 30 September 2026. The contract period runs from 30 September 2026 to 30 June 2027. The awarded value is £18,774,384 excluding VAT, or £22,529,260.80 including VAT; this represents an increase of £1,344,800 excluding VAT from the previous contract value of £17,429,584. The direct award is justified under Schedule 5, paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023 because there are no viable technical alternatives. AmSafe Bridport was selected because it is the original equipment manufacturer and design organisation, and the contract includes a two-year extension from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2027.

This procurement indicates sustained demand from Defence Equipment and Support for specialist helicopter cargo and under-slung load systems, airdrop nets and the engineering support needed to keep them safe and airworthy. A credible future competitor would need defence manufacturing capability, control of or access to relevant proprietary design data, and demonstrated expertise in producing equipment for military aerial delivery. Evidence of qualification against military airworthiness and safety standards would be important, alongside the capacity to manufacture and support equipment used across maritime, land and humanitarian resupply operations. Suppliers would also need to provide post-design services, including technical documentation review and reissue, and show that they can maintain operational readiness without creating unacceptable safety or requalification risks. The incumbent’s position as original equipment manufacturer and design organisation is central to this award.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of Helicopter Under Slung Load Equipment (HUSLE) and Cargo Nets including PDS Support

Notice Description

The Provision of Helicopter Under Slung Load Equipment (HUSLE) and Cargo Nets including PDS Support for the British Armed Forces

Procurement Information

The National Armaments Director Group (NADG), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to amend Contract 701555457 with Amsafe Bridport Limited for the provision of Helicopter Under Slung Load Equipment (HUSLE), Airdrop Cargo Nets and associated Post Design Services (PDS) and the provision of Cargo Nets. In accordance with Provision 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 It is considered that the amendment of the contract without prior publication of a tender notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with Schedule 5, para 6 of the Procurement Act 2023 due to the absence of viable alternatives for technical reasons. This amendment enables further procurement of Airdrop Cargo Nets and associated equipment to maintain operational readiness. Airdrop Cargo Nets are an essential component of the Maritime Modular Platform (MMP), Supply Platform Aerial Delivery (SPAD), Light Stores (LS) and Container Delivery System (CDS), directly supporting Front Line Command operational requirements. These systems collectively deliver four major UK capabilities that: Small Boats Aerial Delivery, Maritime Resupply, Land Resupply, and Humanitarian Aid. This amendment also covers Post Design Services (PDS) activity, including review and reissue of airworthiness documentation required to sustain the equipment through to Contract Expiry in June 2027. The current contract duration will remain the same. This planned Amendment will increase the Contract value by PS1,344,800.00 excluding VAT from the current Contract value of PS17,429,584.00 (seventeen million, four hundred and twenty nine thousand, five hundred and eighty four GBP) to a Total Contract value of PS18,774,384.00 (eighteen million, seven hundred and seventy four thousand, three hundred and eighty four GBP) excluding VAT. It is considered that this Contract Amendment can be placed using the Direct Award procedure without prior publication of a tender notice pursuant to Schedule 5, para 6 of the Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that there is an absence of viable alternative suppliers for technical reasons meaning any Contract for this requirement may be awarded only to Amsafe Bridport Limited. Amsafe Bridport Limited was originally selected as the supplier for Airdrop Cargo Nets and HUSLE following a competitive procurement process. The original requirement was advertised at a value of between PS12,000,000.00 and PS20,000,000.00 excluding VAT. Amsafe Bridport Limited are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Organisation (DO) for the Airdrop Cargo Nets and HUSLE supplied under this Contract. As a result, this company alone holds the requisite proprietary design data, manufacturing expertise, and qualification evidence necessary to produce items that meet the required military airworthiness and safety standards. Introducing an alternative supplier would necessitate extensive requalification activity, which would adversely affect operational readiness and the Authority's ability to meet urgent Aerial Delivery requirements. Awarding this amendment to any other organisation would therefore pose unacceptable safety and operational risks. The MOD is currently formulating it's longer term strategy and will look to engage with the market to explore potential options for a future competition. You must not take this announcement to mean confirmation that MOD shall award a contract amendment for this requirement. The MOD is publishing this announcement without any commitment to issue a tender or place a contract. Accordingly, any expenditure, work or effort undertaken before contract award is a matter solely for the commercial judgement of potential suppliers or sub-contractors. Announcements may also be published on the Defence Sourcing Portal, or the Find a Tender service, as appropriate.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f6bb
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085839-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

50 - Repair and maintenance services

CPV Codes

34741000 - Aircraft equipment

50600000 - Repair and maintenance services of security and defence materials

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£18,774,384 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Sep 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Sep 2026 - 30 Jun 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Defence Equipment and Support
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

AmSafe Bridport Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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