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28 Nov 13. Rheinmetall seeks local participation for Australia’s LAND 121 3B defence project. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) is seeking participation from the Australian industry in the Australian Defence Forces’ (ADF) LAND 121 3B defence project. The company hosted a series of supplier days in different Australian cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney, in a bid to help local industry explore opportunities relating to the project. RMMVA secured a $1.58bn contract under LAND 121 Phase 3B in July 2013, for delivery of 2,500 protected and non-protected logistical vehicles, along with 3,000 modules to the Australian Army. RMMVA’s managing director Peter Hardisty said the company, along with its key subcontractors, is actively engaging with Australian industry to get maximum possible number of local companies to participate in the programme alongside Haulmark Trailers, the contract covers delivery of a range of trucks in different weight classes and various configurations, including medium and heavyweight recovery vehicles, heavy-duty logistical vehicles, integrated load-handling systems and medium-sized cargo bed variants with cranes, fuel and water modules and tipper bodies. The combat proven, high-mobility, robust vehicles are scheduled to replace the ADF’s existing fleet, which comprises equipment from several different manufacturers. The vehicles are scheduled to be manufactured at the company’s facility in Vienna, Austria, whereas production of modules and some bodies, vehicle and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence integration will be jointly carried out by RMWVA and its local partner companies. Deliveries are expected to commence in 2016 and be complete by 2020. (Source: army-technology.com)
29 Nov 13. WFEL, a UK-based world leader in the design and manufacture of tactical military bridges, has achieved an impressive milestone with the handover of the 100th Dry Support Bridge to the US. The 100th DSB, WFEL’s next-generation bridging system, was delivered to US Army Major Gregory W. Baker, of the Office of Defense Cooperation at the US Embassy in London, during a ceremony at WFEL’s headquarters in Stockport, UK. The bridge will be transported to the US Army’s Fort Leonard Wood Center of Excellence in Missouri, which trains nearly 100,000 soldiers and civilians each year.
Major Baker said: “The Dry Support Bridge has proved an invaluable resource for the US armed forces, both in Iraq and, currently, in Afghanistan. Used during military operations and as temporary infrastructure, the DSB, which spans gaps of up to 46m and can be deployed by a team of eight in less than 90 minutes, has proved to be a vital piece of equipment in keeping traffic flowing.”
The DSB, WFEL’s latest generation rapidly-deployable bridging system, has been supplied to the US since 2003. The latest delivery takes the value of DSBs ordered by the US to more than £450m. Alongside the US, other key customers of the DSB include Turkey and Switzerland. A specially-modified IVECO vehicle used by the Swiss military to launch the bridge was recently on show at DSEI, the defence and security equipment exhibition held in London.
Ian Wilson, WFEL chief executive, said, “The US has been a key partner for many years and the delivery of the 100th Dry Support Bridge is an important and symbolic moment for the company. We are delighted with the very close and supportive contacts we have with the US military and that the DSB has proven to be a key system in the inventory of their military engineers that has regularly proved its worth on operations. WFEL also provides a comprehensive after-sales support service, both overseas and at our factory, where we ensure that US DSBs returning to America from overseas tha