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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.
Tel: +44 (0) 1525 408408
www.millbrook.co.uk/military
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22 Oct 09. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled a robotic vehicle known as REX that has been designed to reduce the load carried by foot soldiers on operations. Rex is a small, six-wheel-drive load-bearing robotic vehicle that follows squad-sized units in response to voice commands. The vehicle can carry up to 200kg for up to 72 hours at a time without refuelling. IAI head of innovation Ofer Glazer said that the REX platform is unique in its state-of-the-art operational capabilities and its user-friendly interface. “The robotic vehicle follows the lead soldier from a given distance, using simple commands, including ‘stop’, ‘fetch’, and ‘heel’,” he said. The robotic vehicle integrates several robotic capabilities that are currently in use, ensuring a low target price, and a short and low-risk development period. The IAI-developed robotic platform is currently being exhibited at the 2009 Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in Korea. (Source: army-technology.com)
02 Nov 09. Panhard has made an unsolicited offer of some 30 of its PVP small armored vehicles to the British government as an interim solution while the authorities conduct a competition for a light protected patrol vehicle (LPPV) to replace the Land Rover Snatch vehicle, an executive of the French armored vehicle maker said Nov. 2. “The offer was made last month,” the executive said. No financial details were available. The Petite Véhicule Protegé (PVP) offered a commonality with the
French Army, which uses the PVP, the executive said. Panhard has production capacity for the PVP, following an order for 930 units for the French Army, which is expected to deploy the vehicle to the Afghan theater soon. The company has delivered some 350 units so far.
Panhard has teamed with Rheinmetall Defense to offer a long wheelbase model of the PVP, dubbed PVP Heavy Duty, in the British LPPV tender.
The PVP is a four-wheel-drive vehicle in the 5-ton class, offering ballistic protection to Nato Stanag level two and protection against roadside bombs. The vehicle is designed to be highly maneuverable and is seen as suitable for the rugged Afghan terrain. (Source: Defense News)
03 Nov 09. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has received the first prototype Mercedes Benz G-Wagon vehicles from the Defence Materiel Organisation’s project Land 121 Overlander. Australian Defence Minister Greg Combet said the new G-Wagon would include detachable unit-specific modules designed for specific tasks that include munitions transfer, field ambulances or troop carriers. As part of the contract, a total of 1,200 Mercedes Benz G-Wagons and 315 specialist modules will be delivered ready for operations. Under the $50m contract, the modules will be manufactured by Varley in Hunter Valley where they will also undergo quality assurance, verification and validation testing. Testing is expected to be complete by late August 2010 and the first delivery of operational G-Wagon vehicles is scheduled for 2011. The military G-wagon is not armoured, but can be equipped with armour modules by replacing bod