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23 Dec 14. BAE Systems Awarded Contract to Begin Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle Program. BAE Systems was awarded a contract worth up to $1.2bn from the U.S. Army for the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) and Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). The program aims to provide the U.S. Army with a highly survivable and mobile fleet of vehicles that addresses a critical need to replace the Vietnam-era M113s. “This award represents a significant milestone for the U.S. Army and BAE Systems,” said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles at BAE Systems. “The AMPV will provide a substantial upgrade over the Army’s current personnel carrier fleet, increasing the service’s survivability, force protection, and mobility while providing for future growth potential. It also confirms BAE Systems’ role as a leading provider of combat vehicles.” The initial award is for a 52-month base term, valued at approximately $383m, during which BAE Systems will produce 29 vehicles across each of the variants. The award also provides an option to begin the LRIP phase immediately following the current EMD phase, at which time the company would produce an additional 289 vehicles for a total contract value of $1.2bn. The AMPV capitalizes on proven Bradley and M109A7 designs, meeting the Army’s force protection and all-terrain mobility requirements while enabling the AMPV to maneuver with the rest of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). The maximized commonality within the AMPV family of vehicles and the ABCT will reduce risk and provide significant cost savings to the Army. The BAE Systems AMPV team includes DRS Technologies, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Air Methods Corporation, and Red River Army Depot. Work on the contract is expected to begin immediately and will take place primarily at the company’s York, Pennsylvania, and Sterling Heights, Michigan, facilities. (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)
18 Dec 14. Czech firm looks to maintain Afghan T-55s. Excalibur Group, a Czech defence company specialising in the repair and maintenance of armoured vehicles, is currently negotiating with the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MoD) to maintain the T-55 main battle tank fleet operated by the Afghan National Army (ANA) and supply all necessary spare parts. “We are capable of supplying and producing any spare part for this tank,” Excalibur Group Sales Director Jiri Sauer informed Czech media while accompanying Czech Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky during an official visit to Kabul on 14 December. Sauer said the Afghan MoD is interested in issuing a contract to a company capable of servicing and providing spares for the ANA’s T-55 tank fleet as well as providing technicians that would train ANA maintenance personnel who would assume the task in future. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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Millbrook, based in Bedfordshire, UK, makes a significant contribution to the quality and performance of military vehicles worldwide. Its specialist expertise is focussed in two distinct areas: test programmes to help armed services and their suppliers ensure that their vehicles and systems work as the specification requires; and design and build work to upgrade new or existing vehicles, evaluate vehicle capability and investigate in-service failures. Complementing these is driver and service training and a hospitality business that allows customers to use selected areas of Millbrook’s remarkable facilities for demonstrations and exhibitions.
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