09 Sep 05. Two of the participating companies in the TxU Offset Program in the Northern Netherlands booked Defence orders from BAE Land Systems Hägglunds’ CV-9035 program. The orders are related to the mechanical armored steel construction of the turret and the electrical systems of the last year acquired infantry fighting vehicles by the Royal Netherlands Army. In total the order volume exceeds 25 Million Euros. Other members within the program will also benefit from these orders as sub suppliers. The companies involved are both active in the “TxU Offset Program” which started last October and is a derivative from the pilot project “Offset orders” from the MEA and the government funded Investment and Development Agency NOM. Offset projects and business cases are used to improve the companies’ competences and are focused on strengthening their competitiveness in the supply chain. The twenty-one companies active in the “TxU Offset Program” will be present at the DSEi exhibition in London (booth 1698), and on the NiiD Symposium in The Netherlands.
13 Sep 05. Racal Instruments Group (RIG) Ltd, an EADS Test & Services company, announced today its status as the MoD’s Prime Contractor for the development of a battlefield deployable, mobile Digital Diagnosis and Repair facility known as DDR. Beginning in 2008, DDR will replace the existing General Purpose Digital Test and Diagnostic Facility (GPDTDF), also known as DIANA, and the General Purpose Thermal Imager Repair Facility (GPTIRF). Full Operational Capability for the new fleet is expected by 2010. To deliver DDR, Racal Instruments Group Ltd have entered into a collaboration agreement with Thales Optronics Ltd (TOL), Glasgow. Thales are a major sub contractor supplying Optronics Test Equipment, the Vehicle Container and specialist Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) services. DDR will continue the existing GPATE support for the current wide range of battlefield electronic and optronic systems without the need for changes in their test interfaces or test programme software. At the same time, the new facility will be able to address new equipment coming into service in the 2007-2020+ timeframe. The DDR project represents a coherent modernisation of general purpose test support for the benefit of existing and future equipment. The modernisation will provide enhanced efficiency of test operations (including faster response time); greatly reduced logistic footprint, and a state of the art software environment that incorporates online databases, interactive technical manuals and embedded training facilities.
13 Sep 05. JCB of the U.K. and ADI Industries of Australia are anxiously awaiting the outcome, due on September 30th for an order for 1000 all-terrain backhoe loaders in an order worth £250m. “It is a very close call,” said JCB Military Sales Manager Roger Bentley, “The machines will be made at our US plant with a Cummins engine and we hope that out improved mobility and four-wheel steering and new technology will win the day.”
is exhibiting at DSEi.
13 Sep 065. Mowag has received two orders for DURO vehicles. 35 Duro II vehicles have been ordered by the UK MoD for the Cormorant programme and the German Bundeswher has confirmed an order for 100 armoured tactical vehicles manufactured with Rheinmetall.