Sponsored by TEK Military Seating Limited
http://www.tekmilitaryseating.co.uk/
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03 Jul 25. Netherlands to provide 20 quad and buggy Ermine manned/unmanned vehicles for Ukraine. The Dutch Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Rheinmetall Defence Nederland to supply Ukraine with 20 quad and buggy manned and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) called Ermine, a Rheinmetall representative confirmed to Janes on 27 June. The representative did not provide any more details on the type of buggy to be provided to Ukraine. According to the German defence manufacturer, the Ermine modular hybrid vehicle family includes a 4×4 quad used for silent hit and run operations; a 4×4 buggy that can be used as a light weapon station; and a 6×6 buggy that can carry launcher systems for missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or loitering munitions. The line also includes UGVs, which can be used to transport wounded soldiers. All vehicles are based on a diesel-electric hybrid platform that can carry up to one tonne of payload and have a range of more than 1,000 km depending on the vehicle’s configuration. The vehicles, set to be delivered in 2026, are intended to strengthen Ukraine’s capability for casualty evacuation (casevac) near the front line, according to Rheinmetall. Dutch company Demcon Defense & Security Systems is set to provide “part of the unmanned scope”, the Rheinmetall representative said. According to the Demcon website, the company offers components of unmanned systems including integration between hardware and software. The Royal Netherlands Army asked Demcon to research artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including the way it processes data from various sensors, according to the company. In 2018 the Dutch army began working on a Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) project, which looks at autonomous systems and robotic platforms. Belgium-based Abiom Communication Systems “will provide part of the communication scope”, according to the Rheinmetall representative. (Source: Janes)
02 Jul 25. MARTE – Main ARmoured Tank of Europe.
Key Facts:
- MARTE ARGE leading a consortium of 51 entities from 11 EU Member States plus Norway
- MARTE project awarded by European Commission with a grant of approximately €20 Mio. from the European Defence Fund (EDF)
- Comprehensive Consortium to design the next generation, future Main Battle Tank system
- Grant Agreement signed and Kick-Off-Meeting conducted: Project successfully launched
The European defense sector takes a significant step forward with the launch of the Project MARTE (acronym for Main ARmoured Tank of Europe), a cutting-edge and highly promising initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy by addressing the crucial asset of a Main Battle Tank (MBT) System. Coordinated and led by MARTE ARGE GbR, a joint venture company between KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, the MARTE project brings together complementary industrial partners including leading, large entities as well as MidCaps, research institutions and innovative Small and Medium Enitities (SMEs). The ambitious proposal prepared and submitted to the European Commission has been awarded with a Grant from the European Defence Fund of approximately €20 Mio. In addition to the funding granted by the European Commission, the MARTE consortium receives strong support from in total 11 Ministries of Defense (MoDs) as potential future customers. Led by the German MoD, the MoDs from the following Member States are contributing: Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania and Sweden. At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, this initiative expresses the desire for greater strategic autonomy in defense and security matters and thus MARTE represents a strategic investment in Europe’s defense capabilities. MARTE aims to conduct study and design activities to create a future MBT-System, that adequately meets current and future threats, and the harmonized needs of the European Member States involved. By integrating innovative and disruptive technologies a resilient defense system is to be designed, tailored to the evolving challenges of modern warfare and considering lessons learned from current conflicts.
To achieve this ambitious goal, a consortium composed of 51 legal entities from 12 European Countries (11 Member States plus Norway) has agreed to contribute their respective expertise and gained experiences in the best possible way. MARTE is fostering technological innovation and leveraging cross-border collaboration. In its role as coordinator, MARTE ARGE takes over the project coordination and manages the project with support of the consulting company Erdyn and a core team of five top-tier defense companies: KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (both Germany), Leonardo SPA (Italy), Indra Sistemas SA (Spain) and SAAB AB (Sweden). Building on their pertinent and significant know-how and know-why in the field of Main Battle Tanks, each of them manages one of the five technical Work Packages in which the project’s scope has been clustered – with all further companies (see depiction below) contributing with their relevant technical knowledge. With MARTE ARGE and the European Commission signing the Grant Agreement, the MARTE project started on 01st of December 2024 officially. By conducting the Kick-Off Meeting on 5th and 6th of December 2024 in Stockholm, MARTE ARGE as project coordinator brought together both key stakeholders as well as all consortium partners and launched the project with great success.
02 Jul 25. Daimler Truck to assemble vehicles in Senegal, including for Ministry of Defence. Senegal’s Ministry of Defence will be one of the recipients of locally assembled Daimler Truck vehicles, along with the country’s fire brigade and police. This is according to Germany’s Daimler Truck, which on 1 July announced a letter of intent had been signed with Senegal’s government and Global Truck Systems (GTS) for vehicle assembly in the West African nation.
“Daimler Truck will support the two partners in setting up an assembly plant in Senegal and then supply vehicle component sets (CKD, Completely Knocked Down). The assembly of the trucks will be carried out entirely under the leadership of the Senegalese government in cooperation with Global Truck Systems on site,” Daimler Truck said.
The Senegalese government and GTS have established a joint venture to implement the project. Daimler Truck is supporting the merger as the supplier and technology partner of the planned assembly plant. Vehicles from there are scheduled to go to customers next year. The assembly of various Mercedes-Benz truck model series is planned. In future, these vehicles will be used, among other things, for the logistics requirements of the Senegalese Ministry of Defence, for the modernisation of the fleet of fire brigades and police, as well as for use as waste collection vehicles, in the construction sector and in the logistics and transport industry.
“With this project, our vehicles will enter the Senegalese market in close coordination with the German Federal Government. The delivery of CKD kits for on-site assembly, the transfer of know-how and comprehensive technical advice are our contributions to a successful, partnership-based cooperation,” said Franziska Cusumano, CEO Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
“By signing this letter of intent, we are sending out a strong signal of our long-term commitment to West Africa. We are pleased to officially start industrial cooperation together with the government of Senegal and Global Truck System. With the relocation of the assembly plant, the creation of qualified jobs and the transfer of technological competences, we will be able to make a joint contribution to economic value creation in the region,” said Michael Dietz, CEO Daimler Truck Middle East/Africa.
Jan Debler, Head of Defence Sales Overseas, Daimler Truck; Franziska Cusumano, CEO Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (Daimler Truck AG); and Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister Senegal.
Daimler Truck said Senegal has been a partner country of German development cooperation for decades. “Since 2019, Germany has been supporting economic and social development in Senegal within the framework of the so-called bilateral reform partnership. In 2023, development cooperation was transformed into a climate and development partnership with the Just Energy Transition Partnership. The CKD assembly project is an example of the close relationships between the two countries and the approach to driving economic development through local industrial value creation. The Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany is supporting the project.”
In addition to financial participation, the Senegalese government provides industrial land, grants tax and customs relief for CKD imports and supports the training of local specialists. The project is part of the country’s overarching industrial policy and marks a milestone for the establishment of locally anchored automotive production in West Africa. At the same time, mobility needs are met in a targeted manner by special vehicles for defence, civil protection and municipal tasks, Daimler Truck explained. The GTS enterprise is responsible for the technical, economic and industrial implementation of the project. This includes local recruitment processes and the qualification of production personnel as well as the planning of production facilities, the assembly of complete vehicles from CKD kits and the equipment with specific bodies such as container frames, cranes or recovery units. GTS is also responsible for the sales of the vehicles.
“As part of the supply of CKD kits for various Mercedes-Benz trucks, Daimler Truck ensures a reliable supply chain. Comprehensive quality assurance and technology transfer control measures are also implemented. The objective is to provide high-quality conditions for locally assembled vehicles, including long-term service support. With the commitment of Daimler Truck, the two local partners can create new jobs on site and thus contribute to the country’s value creation and economic development,” Daimler Truck concluded.
Daimler Truck currently has locations on the continent in South Africa and Kenya. In South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, which are delivered in parts from Germany, are also assembled. Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) is headquartered in Pretoria and assembles vehicles in its East London production plant. In August 2024 it assembled its 800 000th CKD unit.
“Being able to produce our products from CKD kits instead of importing fully built units has a major cost advantage for our customers, and allows DTSA to remain competitive within the market,” said DTSA sales and marketing VP Olaf Petersen at the time.
Employing about 300 people, the East London plant is currently one of the biggest CKD-plants for Daimler Truck outside of Europe. The Actros, Arocs and Atego model series are built at the facility, as well as the Econic, Unimog and Zetros. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
03 Jul 25. Arquus and Daimler Truck are joining forces. The French military vehicle manufacturer Arquus and the German commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck want to work closely together on a project-specific basis. This partnership serves the strategic cooperation beyond the two companies’ own business activities and includes joint vehicle development, production, sales and services in the area of military wheeled vehicles. The two companies aim to develop tailored products and processes to better meet the needs of customers in the defence sector, with a particular focus on contributing to the future modernization of the French Army’s fleet of logistics trucks. To this end, Arquus and Daimler Truck combine their expertise and capabilities across their sites in France and Germany.
“This partnership will take us forward together. Both companies know the needs of armed forces inside out and will also benefit from each other’s many years of experience. This will have a positive impact on joint vehicle development, synergies in the area of production expertise and optimized service for our customers.” Emmanuel Levacher, CEO Arquus
“I am delighted about the partnership with Arquus, a company that has a lot of experience and expertise in the field of military commercial vehicles. What goes well together grows together here: our companies have been producing in France and Germany for a long time, our products are highly compatible, our approaches, ideas and goals in the defence sector overlap. Now we are combining our strengths with regard to military commercial vehicles and, in close cooperation, we want to make a decisive contribution to the defence readiness of our two countries” Daniel Zittel, Head of Defence Sales, Daimler Truck
Vehicle production in France and Germany
Arquus and Daimler Truck maintain their relevant production sites for Defence vehicle production in France and Germany. The French military specialist produces exclusively in the country of its headquarters, which is located in Versailles. Arquus’ production facilities are in Garchizy and Limoges, in the center of France. Daimler Truck assembles its Defence vehicles in Wörth am Rhein, near the French border, and in its plant in Molsheim (Alsace, France). The Molsheim plant is integrated into Daimler Truck’s industrial operations in France, which employ over 3,000 people in total. In the future, the Franco-German partner project should also contribute to strengthen the locations in the neighboring countries.
27 Jun 25. Tyron Runflat, inventor of the world’s only multi-piece rubber Runflat system, is celebrating its expansion to a purpose-built manufacturing and testing facility located south of Bangkok in Pattaya, Thailand. Following a number of green shoots and new partnerships, the 3000sqm factory has been specifically built to facilitate the growing demand for the Tyron product.
Peter Simson, Director at Tyron Runflat commented: “We’re thrilled to be moving to a larger factory space, providing additional facilities to produce and test our expanding product portfolio. We recognise how challenging the current economic landscape is in the UK but with over 96 per cent of our products exported to locations around the globe, in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, we remain positive for the year ahead. We have invested heavily in this new factory to ensure it is the perfect space for our team. Our previous factory was a lot smaller, so this has been a huge step for us. Not only is this space able to increase our production capacity by more than double, but the size of our team is also set to grow three-fold during 2025. This move has been focused on upgrading, investing and transforming our testing equipment, to ensure our patented technology can continue to provide a vital and evolving safety buffer for motor vehicle developers, manufacturers and users.”
Established in 2001, the Leicestershire headquartered business has made it their mission to provide reliable and cost-effective tyre safety solutions. For example, the Tyron MultiBand locks the tyre onto the wheel rim in the event of a blowout, preventing catastrophic loss of control, and giving the driver and passengers the ability to get to a safe location.
Peter continued: “Though the economic future of the UK remains uncertain, we feel fortunate to be in a position of growth and expansion. Road safety is more critical than ever before, with more motor users battling treacherous road conditions due to the ‘pothole pandemic’ we remain focused on meeting growing demand for our Tyron Multiband. “
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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
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