Dozens of new jobs are to be created after a Weymouth-based firm won a Royal Navy contract worth £27m.

Ultra Electronics’ Sonar Systems business has been awarded the 10-year contract for the Navy’s Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh (S2050TR) Programme.

Managing director Ross Parsell said around 40 new jobs are to be created in engineering, project management and support positions, to be split across the Weymouth and Greenford, Middlesex, sites.

Ultra’s Weymouth base is on the Granby Industrial Estate.

Mr Parsell said: “At the moment we are looking at a 50/50 split, so there will be around 20 jobs in Weymouth, but that depends on where we can find the skills. If we find suitable people in the Weymouth area, that number could go up to 30.”

He added: “We are looking for a mix of experienced engineers as well as graduates and apprentices as we are looking to expand that side of things.”

Ultra Electronics will be creating mounted sonar technology for eight Type-23 frigates.

Mr Parsell said: “What it is predominantly designed to do is hunt submarines and other things that are underwater.

“It is a major leap in technology for the UK and a major step forward for us.”

The technology will also detect mammal life in the water, such as whales, which will help the warships become more environmentally aware, he added.

Mr Parsell said the contract was a ‘good news story’ for the company and for Weymouth, although he acknowledged that cuts in other areas have had to be made in recent years.

“Weymouth is one of our centres of excellence for this type of engineering and we are looking to support that and build it up in this area.

“Ultra Electronics is a company which operates a number of businesses and if one is up, another may be down.

“We try not to let people go but sometimes that does have to happen – that’s business.

“With this contract, Sonar Systems is on the up, so we want to invest in Weymouth where we’ve got that expertise.”

Rakesh Sharma, Chief Executive of Ultra, said: “I am very pleased that Ultra has been awarded the Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh contract.

“This is a significant opportunity and it demonstrates Ultra’s continuing ability to supply and support cutting edge sonar systems to the Royal Navy. We look forward to working with the DE&S team on this programme.”