EUROPE
LAND
29 Apr 10. BAE Systems has won a contract to supply 16 RG32M mine-hardened patrol vehicles to the Finland Defence Force, worth more than €6m ($8.1m). In addition, it has also received a $7.2m amendment to an existing contract to enhance the propulsion and mobility of Norwegian M113 vehicles. The RG32M order from Finland, which follows on from a contract for six similar vehicles in November 2006, will be carried out by the Land Systems business in South Africa, with delivery of all the vehicles anticipated to be completed by early 2011. The order is for current standard production vehicles, including a suspension upgrade. The contract also includes an order for the new Series 3 variant, which provides for a higher payload, increased power and higher protection levels. There are currently 200 RG32M vehicles in service with Sweden’s armed forces, several of which are deployed in Afghanistan. The contract modification for the Norwegian M113 vehicles will provide 25 upgrade kits required to convert the existing M113s to the M113E3 configuration. The upgrade kits include powerpack, suspension, weld, air conditioning and hydraulic manifold. These upgrades will supplement 72 kits which the company provided to Norway between 2007 and 2009, and as before will be supplied by BAE Systems in the USA. The Norwegian armed forces will install the kits and test the completed vehicle upgrades at its facilities in country. BAE Systems’ work is anticipated to begin in early 2010 and be complete by July 2011.
27 Apr 10. Force Protection Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Force Protection Industries, Inc., received a contract from the U.K. MoD for the purchase of two Ocelot vehicles for further testing in respect of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) program. Ocelot has been designed by Force Protection Europe and Ricardo, plc, a UK based automotive engineering company.
29 Apr 10. Eurotech’s subsidiary Parvus Corporation announces a design win for Parvus’ DuraNET® 3825 subystem into the NATO MEADS (Medium Extended Air Defense System) program. Prime contractor Lockheed Martin has specified the DuraNET 3825, a ruggedized version of Cisco Systems’ 3825 Integrated Services Router (ISR), to provide the network connectivity for the MEADS Tactical Operations Center. Parvus has shipped initial quantities to Lockheed and other NATO partners. No financial details were disclosed.
27 Apr 10. Supacat has received a contract from the MoD for the purchase of two SPV400 vehicles for further testing in respect of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) program.
27 Apr 10. Wincanton, a leading European provider of supply chain and business outsourcing services, has secured a major contract gain with AgustaWestland. The contract, to manage the company’s production stores and logistics operations in and around Yeovil, has a value of approximately £27m over five years.
27 Apr 10. Wincanton, has secured a five-year contract to provide logistics services in support of the supply, repair, maintenance and secure transport of crucial armoured vehicle components for BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Vehicles. Under the new contract, Wincanton will handle components for four military vehicles, all currently deployed with the British Army: the Challenger 2 main battle tank, the Bulldog FV430 armoured fighting vehicle, the Panther light armoured vehicle and the AS90 self-propelled gun platform. From 1 June 2010, all components, from air filters to gearboxes, including new replacement parts and repaired items, will be processed, securely packaged and despatched directly to the customer from a centralised logistics support centre in the Midlands.
AIR
26 Apr 10. The Austrian Army will upgrade its entire fleet of AB-212 helicopters with modern avionics systems and improved night vision and defensive capabilities. Defence Minister Norbert Darabos said the upgraded helicopter fleet will be able to remain fully operational for anothe