DEFENCE giant VT is celebrating after landing the biggest deal in Hampshire this year.

The Hedge End-based shipbuilding and support services firm has won a £6 billion 25-year contract from the Ministry of Defence to privatise the UK's flight-training operations.

The Ascent consortium of VT and US defence firm Lockheed Martin won out over rival groups including France's Thales and America's Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

A government spokesman said the VT proposal offered "the best prospect" of achieving value for money.

The contract involves training aircrew across the RAF and Royal Navy, including pilots for jets and helicopters.

The deal is a massive boost for VT. It is also another step away from its traditional shipbuilding roots - a process that has already seen the company manage American defence bases, build schools in Greenwich and run career guidance services.

Now bosses hope to win similar deals with airforces around the world.

VT Group chief executive Paul Lester said: "This is a major boost to our military support activities and establishes VT as the UK's leading training provider in military aerospace.

"Through Ascent, we will develop this into a long-term partnering arrangement with the MoD that will provide improved capability for the Armed Forces.

"We have also signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin to offer the same training systems model to a number of other governments around the world, which could generate substantial revenues in the future."