Sponsored by TEK Military Seating Limited
http://www.tekmilitaryseating.co.uk/
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
26 Jun 25. Australian Army trains on new combat engineering vehicles. An initial group of Australian Army soldiers have started operations and maintenance training on the service’s new General Dynamics Land Systems M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles (ABVs) and M1110 Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) vehicles, collectively known as combat engineering vehicles. An Australian Department of Defence (DoD) spokesperson told Janes on 25 June that a three-month training course is being conducted for the soldiers at the School of Armour in Puckapunyal and the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in Wodonga, Victoria.
“For combat engineers, this training is focused on the tactical employment of the vehicle and includes instructions on communications, driving, servicing, weapon systems, and the vehicle’s specialised equipment.
“For maintainers, this training is focused on how to repair and service both [ABV and JAB] vehicle variants,” the spokesperson said.
The majority of the combat engineering vehicles will be operated by the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment of the 3rd Brigade headquartered at the Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Queensland, the spokesperson added.
“This capability is a key component of [the] army’s combined-arms fighting system and demonstrates [the DoD’s] ongoing transformation into an integrated and focused force as directed by the 2024 National Defence Strategy,” the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, an initial batch of the combat engineering vehicles was delivered to the Australian Army in early 2025. However, the number of vehicles delivered and the date of delivery are unknown. (Source: Janes)
25 Jun 25. Supacat Asia Pacific signs a new strategic alliance agreement with ISTEC Services Limited. Supacat Asia Pacific, a leading provider of specialist defence vehicles and support solutions has just signed a new strategic alliance agreement with ISTEC Services Limited, a British company with 36 years of operationally proven experience in the design, manufacture, supply and support of complex weapon integration solutions for military platforms, to collectively enhance regional defence and security solutions. Supacat Asia Pacific welcome ISTEC to Supacat Asia Pacific Global Partners which is a partnership that leverages the strengths of the global supply chain and enables more comprehensive solutions to be offered to better serve regional customers. This strategic alliance brings together Supacat Asia Pacific’s proven expertise in high-mobility defence platforms and ISTEC Services’ specialised technical capabilities with weapon mounting solutions for military use across land, sea and air platforms, thus creating a powerful combination to enhance capability for military, law enforcement and security organisations throughout the region. ISTEC has over 20 years of expertise providing Supacat UK with weapon mount solutions across the Jackal fleet supporting Urgent Operational Requirements for the UK Ministry of Defence. This strategic alliance ensures that Supacat Asia Pacific can also leverage ISTEC’s expertise to collectively deliver superior integrated defence solutions, whilst expanding their combined technical capabilities and market reach in a competitive defence sector.
Anne Quelch Director of ISTEC Services, added: “We are excited to form a strategic alliance with Supacat Asia Pacific and join their Global Partners, whose reputation for innovation and quality aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence. This collaboration will enable us to deliver enhanced value to our customers while expanding our service capabilities.”
Bruce Tait Managing Director of Supacat Asia Pacific commented: “ISTEC Services represents a significant step forward in our regional strategy. This partnership is in addition to our existing mount suppliers which we will continue to support. It provides additional comprehensive offering to the customers across all environments, by combining our strengths, we can offer our customers more comprehensive solutions and superior support throughout the Asia Pacific region.”
25 Jun 25. The Dutch Ministry of Defence has, on behalf of the Ukraine Task Force, signed a contract with the Ede-based subsidiary Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V. to supply 20 Ermine vehicles. The Minister of Defence signed the contract with Rheinmetall on the 24th of June during the NATO Industry Summit in The Hague. The variants now ordered are manned/unmanned ground vehicles. These are to be delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces, strengthening their capability for casualty evacuation near the frontline. The vehicles are to be delivered in 2026. In this configuration, a cooperation with other Dutch companies like DEMCON defense & security systems B.V. & Abiom Communication Systems (ACS) B.V. has been set up as a force multiplier. This national cooperation among industry and MoD will further develop knowledge and capabilities for the Armed Forces of the Netherlands and Ukraine. Quote by Coen van Leeuwen, CEO of Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V.: “We are grateful for the trust in our capacities. Ermine is an innovative and capable solution for the modern battlefield.” The Ermine (Hermelin) family of small vehicles represents a new generation of mobility, combining tactical transport with a mobile energy source (microgrid). Operational creativity is at the core Ermine’s design. Its features enable it to act as an effective force multiplier. The modular Ermine family currently consists of an UGV, a side-by-side buggy and a quad. Various 4×4 and 6×6 variants are available. All vehicles are based on the same diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain and base platform. This gives the Ermine maximum modularity with unrivalled agility. Thanks to the hybrid technology, up to one ton of payload, and a range of more than 1,000 kilometres are possible, depending on the vehicle’s configuration. Up to four Ermine vehicles can be transported by cargo helicopters such as the CH-47 or CH-53. This contract marks the first significant milestone for the Ermine and will, by supporting the Ukraine armed forces, also boost the defence industry in the Netherlands.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
TEK Military Seating Limited
TEK Military Seating Limited is a UK based designer and manufacturer of ProTEK military vehicle seating which offer the highest standards of safety and protection. The ProTEK brand is well respected across the globe for its robust construction, innovative design, built in modularity and cost effectiveness. Our superior products are supported by our experienced team who endeavor to offer unrivalled service to our customers from enquiry, through design and acceptance, to through life support.
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
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–