2 min read - 21 Aug, 2025
Cook Defence Systems secures £125m Army support contract
Cook Defence Systems has secured a multi-million pound Ministry of Defence contract to supply spare tracks for the British Army’s armoured fighting vehicles.
The three-year agreement is worth up to £125m and will see the company supplying vital spare parts for all the Army’s principal combat vehicles, including its new Challenger 3 tanks. The deal also supports 125 skilled jobs at Cook’s County Durham site and underpins £5m of investment in new plant and machinery over the next twelve months.
Cook Defence Systems has already played a vital role in the UK’s commitment to Ukraine by supplying spare tracks for the Soviet-era vehicles used by the Ukrainian Army.
A new MOD agreement with Cook Defence Systems will provide vital spare parts to the British Army’s armoured vehicle fleet / Picture: UK MOD © Crown copyright
William Cook, director of Cook Defence Systems, said: “As the only British designer and manufacturer of track systems for fighting vehicles, Cook Defence Systems is critical to the operational independence of the British Army and allied forces. This latest contract directly supports 125 jobs at Cook Defence Systems and underpins £5m of investment in new plant and machinery over the next twelve months.
“Our core relationship with the UK MOD is the foundation of our export success, with Cook Defence Systems currently supplying British allies in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.”
Luke Pollard, minister for the Armed Forces, said: “This contract not only strengthens our Army’s warfighting capability, but helps sustain hundreds of skilled jobs in the North East. This investment is a clear example of the defence dividend, where higher defence spending, spent with British firms, supports good, well-paid, skilled jobs nationwide.”
The Ministry of Defence said the new deal was part of a wider defence investment, with the UK ramping up production and procurement of artillery ammunition, drones, and combat spares in response to lessons learned from Ukraine.
