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06 Nov 14. FAUN Trackway, the leading manufacturer of portable roadways and runways, has reached a milestone in its 60 year history with the production of its 100th Trackrack and 50th Spoolrack. The units were recently purchased by the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO). The Danish armed forces’ order of the Heavy Ground Mobility System (HGMS) meant that the Anglesey site was commissioned to manufacture its Trackrack for the 100th time. The Trackrack is a specially designed launch, recover, transportation and storage system for FAUN’s Trackway panels. Trackway is FAUN’s own portable, temporary roadway, consisting of a series of interlocking aluminium panels. First developed more than 40 years ago, the design forms the basis for all of roadway and runways in FAUN Trackway’s product portfolio. Panels can be split up or added to as needed, to create potentially unlimited lengths of roadway and make the solution fit for purpose. The system has been deployed around the world, to aid military and disaster-relief missions in a wide variety of challenging terrains such as sand, snow, desert and marshland. Denmark’s request also meant that the production team manufactured the 50th Spoolrack unit. Spoolracks are designed to store and transport additional lengths of Trackway, which can then be transferred for deployment through a spool-to-spool system. Alongside DALO, the HGMS is also held by the Irish Defence Force and the Turkish Armed Forces.
Chris Kendall, director at FAUN Trackway, said: “Trackrack and Spoolrack units form part of the HGMS, our flagship system, which is now held in the inventories of more than 35 armed forces worldwide. Designed for speed, the HGMS means 50m of Trackway can be laid by two men in only six minutes. “The landmark sales showcase how invaluable the resource is to armed forces around the world to ensure efficient and safe access in a variety of environments. We are proud to have reached such a symbolic milestone in its production and know this is simply a stepping stone to the delivery of many more.”
31 Oct 14. Thales Australia to collaborate with Quickstep for Hawkei production. Thales Australia will collaborate with Quickstep on the production of Hawkei, a next-generation protected mobility vehicle. As part of the development, Thales has awarded a pre-contract to Quickstep to use its patented systems to provide strong, light and high-quality components, such as bonnets, side skirts and mud guards suitable for Hawkei’s tough operational requirements. Thales Australia Protected Vehicles vice-president Kevin Wall said: “Like Thales, Quickstep is recognised for innovation and cutting-edge research. “Quickstep’s record on projects such as the Joint Strike Fighter and Lamborghini performance cars is testament to their unique skills.” The companies will work together to improve the design of the components of the vehicle at every stage. This will allow Thales to identify savings and maximise performance advantages, resulting in a better product for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Work will take place at Quickstep’s Bankstown facility in New South Wales, Australia. This will be conditional on Thales securing a long-term contract to supply Hawkei vehicles to the Australian Department of Defence. As part of the LAND 121 Phase four programme, the Department of Defence plans to acquire 1,300 Hawkei vehicles next year to replace the current Australian Army Land Rover fleet. The final approval of the project is expected in 2015. The 4×4, six-crew, 7t Hawkei offers unparalleled situational awareness, lethality and survivability. The vehicle has been developed by Thales in Bendigo, Victoria with the support of Boeing, PAC Group and Plasan, and numerous Australian small and medium-sized enterprises. (Source: army-tec