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22 May 25. EDGE and ADG Mobility sign MoU on manufacture of specialised land systems. design and production of specialised land systems equipment in the UAE. This will be done through EDGE entity TRUST, the companies announced on 21 May during the Make It in the Emirates forum, taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 19 to 22 May.
Under the MoU, the two parties will establish a strategic framework for future collaboration on the design, development, and manufacturing of specialised land systems equipment, including specialised vehicles, in the UAE.
The MoU was signed by Dr Jasem Alzaabi, Vice President of Business Development (Trading & Mission Support) – EDGE, and Dr Stefan Nell, Chief Executive Officer of ADG Mobility, in the presence of Dr Abdulmunem Alshehhi, Chief Operations Officer – TRUST, and Syed Haroon, Manager of Engineering and Development – TRUST.
“This strategic agreement marks a significant milestone in LMT/ADG Mobility’s 20-year journey in the region and lays the foundation for local manufacturing of specialized land systems equipment within the UAE. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation, self-reliance, and delivering advanced defence solutions tailored to regional requirements,” said Nell.
In 2017, some of the former LMT staff who had left the company created Africa Defence Group (ADG) Mobility, specialising in the design and manufacture of protected vehicles, including setting up vehicle production factories in country. One of ADG Mobility’s first projects was the development of the Wahash 8×8 armoured vehicle for the UAE’s Calidus. The latter now makes the Wahash, 4×4 MCAV-20, and 4×4 LRV-20 armoured vehicles, which have been exported.
Consolidation in the South African defence industry in mid-2022 saw OTT Technologies, LMT Products and ADG Mobility come together to create the OTT Group, making it one of the largest armoured vehicle manufacturers in South Africa.
OTT is focussing on the Puma APC range, LM13, Bulldog M34 security vehicle, and remanufactured Casspirs, Ratels, and Samils. Its Ratel Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) was developed and funded in-house and features a lighter and more powerful engine and drivetrain, new sighting system and numerous other upgrades that make the Ratel competitive with modern vehicles. OTT offers the Ratel SLEP to the SANDF and foreign clients.
LMT’s key offerings include its Ford F550-based LM8, ideal for various military and security applications; LM13 Special Operations Vehicle; LM16 (extended version of the LM13); and LM17 high-mobility vehicle.
Following the ADG Mobility MoU, EDGE signed an agreement with another South African company, Specialist Mechanical Engineers (SME), which provides turnkey solutions in HVAC and complex mechanical systems. The MoU was announced on 22 May between TRUST and SME. It was signed by Dr Jasem Al Zaabi, Vice President of Business Development for Trading & Mission Support – EDGE, and Iwan Agema, Managing Director of SME (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
22 May 25. BAE Systems Hägglunds and Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pursue a strategic collaboration for the BvS10 all-terrain vehicle for the Italian market. The collaboration focuses on localization of design of Italian variants and manufacturing of the BvS10 – leveraging the strengths of both companies and Italian manpower.
“We are proud to collaborate with Iveco Defence Vehicles to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Italian Armed Forces. This partnership combines the technical expertise of both companies, ensuring the BvS10 is tailored to support Italy’s defence need,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, general manager of BAE Systems Hägglunds. “It also reinforces our commitment to enhancing European defence capabilities and bolstering the industry’s growth.”
This industrial cooperation would build on previous successful collaboration between Iveco Defence Vehicles and BAE Systems, providing both vital capabilities and national security of supply.
“IDV is a longstanding partner for the Italian Army. We are committed to continuing our effort in offering the highest standards of survivability, performance, reliability and safety to satisfy the diverse needs of the Italian Army and the Armed Forces all over the world,” said Claudio Catalano, CEO of Iveco Defence Vehicles. “With the agreement signed today, we will leverage the expertise, technological know-how and experience of IDV and BAE Systems to deliver the BvS10 to the Italian Army.”
BAE Systems’ BvS10 is the world leader when it comes to all-terrain solutions. The armored, articulated vehicle is designed to provide total operational support where other vehicles cannot. Its mobility systems provide optimal maneuverability across varying terrains, including snow, ice, rock, sand, or mud, as well as steep mountain environments. The vehicle’s amphibious feature also allows it to swim in flooded areas or coastal waters, making it possible to deliver personnel and supplies to sustain strategic, tactical, and operational mobility.
The Bv10’s modular design allows it to be reconfigured for varying missions and can be delivered in multiple variants, including carrying personnel, command and control, ambulance, vehicle repair and recovery, logistics support, situational awareness, and a weapons carrier with additional mortar capability. It is the perfect combination of mobility, payload, and protection. The vehicle is currently operated by Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. This collaboration will ease the adoption of this land platform by the Italian Army, ensuring logistical commonality within the countries that have already chosen the BvS10.
20 May 25. USMC sticking with JLTV after Army cancels future vehicle buys. The USMC is sticking with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, even as costs may rise following the Army’s decision to halt the program. The joint program office for the Army and Marine Corps first picked Oshkosh Defense to build the JLTV in August 2015, and in 2023 awarded a follow-on contract to AM General, according to a Congressional Research Services report released Monday.
“The Marine Corps is fully committed to the JLTV program. It is our workhorse on the ground tactical vehicle fleet,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said in a House Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing May 14. “It’s a little bit too early to assess the impact of the Army stopping their version of the program, but per-unit costs are clearly going to go up … when the orders go down.”
The JLTV was originally intended to replace the Marine Corps’ and Army’s light tactical vehicle fleets, which consist mostly of Humvees. The initial low-rate production contract awarded to Oshkosh Defense was valued at $6.7bn for the first 16,901 vehicles, according to the CRS report.
A follow-on contract valued at another $8bn awarded to AM General would have built another 30,000 JLTVs and 10,000 trailers for the vehicles. Smith anticipates the unit cost to rise because of the Army decision, and the Corps is “still assessing the full impact of the Army’s abrupt exit from the joint program.”
“That’s going to negatively impact the Marine Corps’ ability to fulfill its ground tactical vehicle mobility strategy, which has me concerned,” Smith said.
The Marine Corps relies on the JLTV for its ROGUE-Fires and Marine Air Defense Integration System, or MADIS. The ROGUE-Fires system uses a remotely operated JLTV without a cab to fire the Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. The MADIS is a counter-drone weapon also mounted on the JLTV.
“At this time, AM General has [a] backlog for deliveries of vehicles through 2027 and AM General remains committed to meeting our contractual delivery requirements,” AM General said in a statement May 2 in response to the Army’s decision to divest. “As we work to understand the significance of the DoD’s recent communications, we will continue to operate our HUMVEE and JLTV A2 assembly lines and our Aftermarket Fulfillment facility as normal to meet our contractual requirements and serve the Warfighter.”
The vehicle, available in two- and four-seat versions, can be transported by various aircraft, including rotary wing, according to the CRS report. Instead of acquiring more JLTVs, the Army plans to fulfill some of its mobility requirements with the Infantry Squad Vehicle, a much smaller, scaled-down all-terrain vehicle. An Army Transformation Initiative memo published May 1 noted the service would divest the vehicle over time. So far, the service has acquired 20,000 vehicles. The Army began fielding the JLTV in 2019, the same year the Marine Corps began receiving its first vehicles.
House Appropriations subcommittee member Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said she was “dismayed” to learn the Army did not communicate its intentions to the Marine Corps before making the divestiture decision.
“That is beyond disappointing. Joint means joint. That’s what the ‘J’ stands for. Joint decisions should be informed together as part of joint programs if they need to change,” McCollum said.
Speaking to reporters in Tennessee on May 14, Army Vice Chief Gen. James Mingus said the Army purchased its last tranche of JLTVs in January, according to Breaking Defense.
“We will do no future procurement buys for the JLTV, for the Army, but the Marine Corps, [Foreign Military Sales] partners [can],” Mingus said. “We think that we have enough, they [USMC and foreign customers] can continue to do that. But for us, inside of our armor and heavy and Stryker formations, we have enough JLTVs. We’ve bought enough already.” (Source: Defense News)
21 May 25. Brazilian Akaer awaiting funding for additional Cascavel upgrades. Brazilian privately owned engineering specialist Akaer Engenharia is eyeing a requirement of the Paraguayan Army for the modernisation of EE-9 Cascavel 6×6 armoured reconnaissance vehicles, a source told Janes on 19 May. The country has demonstrated interest in modernising up to 10 vehicles and is considering adding some improvements as part of Akaer’s Cascavel modernisation package to EE-11 Urutu 6×6 troop carriers. The Paraguayan Army is awaiting funding from the local government to proceed with the modernisation effort, the source said. Paraguay was already briefed in-country on Akaer’s modernisation package for the Cascavel. The EE-9 Cascavel, armed with a 90 mm turreted cannon, was originally developed and produced by Brazilian Engesa (Engenheiros Especializados SA). Paraguay has 28 EE-9 Cascavel M7 vehicles, according to Janes data. The source told Janes that the company is also pursuing opportunities in Colombia and Ecuador for Cascavel modernisation. Officials of Colombia and Ecuador were previously briefed in Brazil on the Cascavel modernisation package. The vehicle can be customised according to requirements, the source noted. (Source: Janes)
19 May 25. New Zealand to receive first VAMTAC prototype. New Zealand is scheduled to take delivery of a first VAMTAC ST5 4×4 high-mobility tactical vehicle prototype, manufactured by Spanish defence company URO Vehículos Especiales SA (UROVESA), the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 16 May. The MoD said the prototype will be operated by a joint MoD and New Zealand Army team to develop, integrate, and test “New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) communications and digital systems”. However, the MoD did not disclose the date of prototype delivery.
Sarah Minson, New Zealand’s deputy secretary of Capability Delivery, said, “This vehicle is the first VAMTAC ST5 medium variant to be built by UROVESA for the MoD, as part of a project to replace the NZDF’s most frequently deployed operational vehicle fleet.”
“The construction and testing of this vehicle prototype is a significant milestone for the project team, who are working to deliver 60 new VAMTAC ST5 light and CK3 medium-sized utility vehicles, as part of tranche one of the project,” Minson added.
The MoD said, “The VAMTAC vehicles will, like their predecessors the Unimog and Pinzgauer, be used to transport personnel and equipment during security and stability operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and search-and-rescue deployments.” The procurement of VAMTAC vehicles is a part of the New Zealand Army’s Protected Mobility Capability Project (PMCP). Introduced in the 2010s, the project aims to procure transport and utility vehicles to align the New Zealand Army’s mobility with the Australian Army. Under the project, the MoD signed a contract with UROVESA in November 2024 to procure 40 VAMTAC CK3 medium vehicles and 20 VAMTAC ST5 light vehicles by 2027. (Source: Janes)
19 May 25. Rheinmetall and Indra sign MOU on armoured vehicle projects. Cooperation in Spain: Rheinmetall and Indra announce a strategic agreement on armoured vehicles. Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall AG, and Indra have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a strategic cooperation in the field of armoured vehicles projects of the Spanish Armed Forces. This further enhances the already strong alliance of Indra with Rheinmetall in other fields like the recently announced agreement with Rhein¬metall Electronics on the Leopard 2E Combat System. Rheinmetall is one of the world’s leading suppliers of armored tracked and wheeled vehicles and is the original designer of – among other vehicles – the Keiler NG Armored Breaching Vehicle. Also in the Leopard 2A4 tank Rheinmetall has significant technological shares. Additionally, Rheinmetall has significant know-how and experience in areas such as armored vehicles design, manufacture and support, with REM S.A.U., Rheinmetall already has a strong and important presence in Spain. Indra is a leading Spanish Company in Defence Systems and the designer of the thermal cameras and the manufacturer of the Leopard 2E combat system in Spain under license from Rheinmetall Electronics, and is the supplier of the Lince BMS currently in service in Leopard 2 in Spain. Indra is also the designer of the Maestre Mission System currently contracted in the Spanish Army VCR 8×8 and is the main design authority for the Spanish BMS. Indra has significant experience in Leopard 2 electronics systems and has solutions for simulation for Leopard 2E and other vehicles. Indra is making significant investment in capabilities for integration and production or transformation of armored vehicles in Spain including specific facilities for this purpose.
Eduardo Veen Martinez, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Landsysteme: “With this MoU, Indra and Rheinmetall, two leading European companies in the field of defence technology, start a strong alliance to support the efforts of the Spanish Armed Forces to modernize their fleet of combat vehicles.”
Ángel Escribano, Chairman of Indra Group, stated: “The agreement with Rheinmetall represents a significant step forward in Indra’s strategy of forming alliances and partnerships to strengthen its military vehicle manufacturing and digitalization capabilities in Spain’ and he added, ‘This is an example of what Europeans can achieve when working together.”
13 May 25. EM&E Group, a leading Spanish group in defence and security innovation and technologies, presented its new 6×6 FEROX vehicle today at FEINDEF 25, in an event attended by authorities and representatives from the industrial and technological sectors. This armoured vehicle will be produced entirely in Spain, at EM&E Group’s facilities in Linares (Jaén), thus fostering an increase in the technological and productive capabilities of the Spanish industrial sector. FEROX represents a qualitative leap in tactical mobility, protection, and firepower, offering a unique combination of operational capability, situational awareness, and adaptability in conventional and asymmetric combat scenarios. Designed for high-intensity operations in hostile environments, the vehicle combines modular architecture and cutting-edge ballistic and mine protection. The version presented at FEINDEF is the first step toward the manufacturing and assembly of this vehicle in Spain, under the agreement signed during the IDEX 2025 trade fair in Abu Dhabi between EM&E Group and NIMR Automotive (NIMR), an entity of the EDGE Group and a world leader in the design and manufacture of these high-performance armoured vehicles. This agreement contemplates the transfer of knowledge and the progressive national industrialisation of the vehicle, with design authority, thus strengthening the technological sovereignty and productive fabric of the defence sector in Spain.
“The presentation of FEROX at FEINDEF is a milestone for our company and for the national industry. This vehicle marks the beginning of a new era for EM&E Group in the field of armoured vehicles, and underscores our commitment to increasing strategic capabilities and technological excellence,” stated Fernando Fernández, CEO of EM&E Group.
With this commitment, EM&E Group consolidates its position as one of the few players in Europe capable of offering advanced armoured solutions that are integrated and tailored to the operational needs of the Armed Forces. (Source: joint-forces.com)
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TEK Military Seating Limited
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From its inception ProTEK seats have been designed around a family of innovative seat frames onto which tested and certified modules can be fitted to create a bespoke solution for the user. These include Blast protection to Stanag 4569 standards, vibration reduction, head and body protection, seat risers and turntables, fore & aft adjustment, and seat back rake along with viable seat dimensions without the need for additional tooling costs.
Contact: Paul Fleming
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