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Web Page sponsored by MILLBROOK
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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13 Apr 10. The German Army will supply up to 200 armoured vehicles to its troops operating in Afghanistan, according to Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Guttenberg said the new vehicles were necessary due to general wear and tear, but rejected calls to introduce the potent Leopard 2 tank, which features heavy armour and firepower designed for clashes with other tanks, according to earthtimes.org. “In our current assessment the Leopard makes no sense whatsoever for use around
Kunduz,” Guttenberg said. “The aim is not to reinvent the army, but to optimise the personal and financial resources at our disposal.”
Much of the equipment being used by the German armed forces is quite old,
including a fleet of ten Marder infantry vehicles. The army is also operating Fuchs infantry vehicles, smaller Wolf all-terrain cars and a large fleet of lightweight Dingo vehicles, of which a total of 210 vehicles do not have enough potential for heavy attack. (Source: armytechnology.com)
09 Apr 10. GM GDLS Defense Group, LLC, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on April 7 a $58,256,427 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This contract action directs changes to the Stryker vehicle performance specification requirements. The specification changes will require design and integration engineering services, test articles/prototypes, and procurement of necessary materials, including long-lead materials, to support a modified hull design with related integrated system changes. The program objectives are an integrated solution that provides improved protection levels to support operations in the Operation Enduring Freedom area of responsibility. Work is to be performed in Sterling Heights, Mich. (41 percent), and London, Ontario (59 percent), with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. TACOM, CCTA-AI, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-M112).
BATTLESPACE Comment: The announcement of this contract vindicates the U.K. MoD’s cautious approach to the FRES UV contract. Had the untried Piranha E been chosen, this would have resulted in a major redesign of the hull to meet blast protection levels as stated above.
08 Apr 10. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has won two orders for Dingo 2 protected vehicles from Germany’s Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB). To be delivered this year, the 85 vehicles are to be used by the German Army’s contingent in Afghanistan. The Dingo 2 protected personnel and material carrier is a variant of KMW’s
Dingo, and is similarly based on a commercial UNIMOG all-terrain chassis.
Germany has sent its existing Dingos on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo,
Afghanistan and Lebanon. The first batch of 41 Dingo 2 vehicles will be the basic all-protected personnel and material transporter configuration.
The second batch of 44 will be GSI battle-damage repair vehicles that carry a mobile workshop, storage system and generator.
The vehicle’s three-person cab is protected against IEDs, mines and ballistic threats. All 85 vehicles will be equipped with