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Sep 8, 2014

3.5 Billion Fighting Vehicle Contract Secures UK Engineering Jobs


It has been announced that more than 1,300 jobs across the UK will be secured thanks to a contract worth £3.5 billion which has been placed by the Ministry of Defence.

This new contract will bring with it the production of 589 new, fully digitised armoured fighting vehicles onto the frontline and is, according to Michael Fallon, Defence Secretary, the single biggest order placed by the MOD for armoured vehicles for around 30 years. 

Known as Scout specialist vehicles, this fully digitised armoured vehicle has been designed by South Wales company General Dynamics UK and will, according to the MOD, give the army enhanced intelligence, surveillance, protection, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities in the most difficult terrains around the world.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said, “This multi-billion-pound contract is fantastic news for our soldiers in providing them with the most technologically advanced and versatile armoured fighting vehicles to overcome future threats.” 

The Chief of the General Staff and head of the British Army, General Sir Peter Wall, said, “The Scout family is a transformational programme that will refresh our armoured capability and ensure the army remains a first-tier manoeuvre force.”  He added, “With digital links to all of our other systems it will be able to fulfil a wide range of combat roles.” 

This is also great news for the supply chain of this state-of-the-art vehicle and will sustain 1,300 engineering jobs across the UK in key defence industries. 

Deliveries of Scout specialist vehicles are planned to start in 2017. The training establishment and first squadron will be equipped by the middle of 2019 to allow conversion to begin with a brigade ready to deploy from the end of 2020.

 

Image by General Dynamics UK

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