The Ministry of Defence has amended its Maritime Support Delivery Framework contract with BAE Systems (www.baesystems.com) to include the Queen Elizabeth Class, extending the arrangement to cover all classes of ships ‘home-ported’ at Portsmouth Naval Base.

The amendment is worth £69 million and runs until March 2019, with an option to extend it to March 2020 for £68.5 million.

The agreement forms part of the new £1 billion Common Support Model, which was announced by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon on 3 October.

This will provide a framework for comprehensive support of the entire Royal Navy fleet of warships for decades to come.

David Mitchard, managing director of BAE Systems Maritime Services, said: “We are the leader in complex warship support, and to be awarded a contract to support the QE Class of aircraft carriers safeguards these skills in Portsmouth and the region for years to come.

"The Common Support Model represents a collaborative way of working, placing industry shoulder to shoulder with the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence, and we are looking forward to implementing it across all classes of ships we support at Portsmouth.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in her home port of Portsmouth in August and is due to continue her sea trials before being commissioned later this year.

HMS Prince of Wales is due to arrive in Portsmouth in 2019, before being commissioned in 2020. Both will be based in Portsmouth when they are not on operations around the globe.