Author: nickyyeoman
A Super Win for Supacat
Devon-based Supacat has today confirmed receipt from UK MOD of an order on behalf of the British Army for 70 High Mobility Transporters (HMT 400 series), to be manufactured in collaboration with major defence engineering contractor Babcock International Group plc through its facility in Devonport. The contract award for an undisclosed sum could lead to as many as 240 of the light armoured vehicles, should operational requirements demand.
The project is to be delivered between Supacat’s manufacturing facilities at Dunkeswell near Honiton and Babcock’s Devonport site in Plymouth. Named ‘Jackal’ by the British Army, the HMT 400 series is a supremely versatile platform with unparalleled cross-country performance. Originally, developed in the 1990s, the Jackal builds on the success of Supacat’s original All Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP). Produced in 4×4, 6×6 and convertible ‘Extenda’ configurations, Supacat’s HMT range has a worldwide reputation as formidable off-road vehicles and is in use with specialist and other armed forces worldwide.
The vehicle was brought into service under urgent operational requirements (UOR) to provide British forces in Afghanistan with an off-road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance, replacing variants of Land Rover which previously fulfilled the role. Since then, the British Army’s fleet has fully utilised the HMT 400 platform, becoming integral to its land tactics and operations. Supplied with an optional mine blast and ballistic protection kit, the HMT 400 platform can also be fitted with a variety of mission specific load beds, weapons, communications, ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) and force protection equipment to suit a wide range of operational roles.
The HMT platform vehicle has also proven itself internationally and is in service in Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Estonia. Further export opportunities are currently being explored bringing further investment to the South West. The contract itself will create 10 jobs within Supacat itself and 90 at Babcock’s facilities in Devonport.
This contract further builds on Supacat’s well established relationship with Babcock which was initially developed to meet the UOR demand for Afghanistan when over 600 vehicles were assembled through their Devonport facility within a three-year period.
Nick Ames, chief executive for Supacat, said: “This is an enormously important contract win for us. Primarily it further evidences our customer’s confidence in our HMT 400 product after 20 years of service. Furthermore it gives us a platform to secure potential export orders and thereby shows how investment in UK products can provide benefit to the wider UK economy. It also allows us to broaden and deepen our relationship with Babcock as a world class engineering partner.
“Above all, this contract win is the result of the unstinting belief and passion of our staff in the product. It is through their hard work and dedication that the business is here to deliver this contract and take the confidence to continue to develop more battle winning and lifesaving equipment in the future.”
Tom Newman, chief executive of Babcock’s Land Sector, said: “This order is fantastic news for both Babcock and the local community in Plymouth. As a world-class engineering partner, we are delighted to be taking a key role in the production of this new phase of the Jackal platform, a truly British designed and manufactured vehicle. We are proud to be playing our part in supporting the British Army’s Land Industrial Strategy by securing critical industrial skills and capabilities and enhancing social value, including the creation of 90 new jobs.
“This new contract shows how British industry can work collaboratively to rapidly respond to defence requirements and deliver in short timescales. The HMT 400 series is also not only a battle-proven vehicle but a fantastic export asset in its own right, and our chosen build location in the freeport zone of Plymouth will enhance its export prospects.”
Pipped at the Post Sponsors of the Army Winter Sports Association
British Army contracted conversion of HMTs to Light Weight Recovery Vehicle.
Supacat, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the HMT platform and NP Aerospace, the engineering authority for the UK Ministry of Defence protected mobility fleet, are progressing the development of new Lightweight Recovery Vehicles (LWRV) for the British Army; a conversion of the globally recognised High Mobility Transporter.
A total of four Supacat LWRV vehicles are due to be released to the British Army later in the Spring 2023 – fulfilling a requirement for offroad capability in environments such as those seen in Mali, Africa, during Operation Newcombe. The vehicle development is part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support (PMETS) contract led by NP Aerospace and contracted vehicle OEMs and partners.
LWRV (Light Weight Recovery Vehicle) fills a capability gap for a recovery vehicle with the off-road performance to follow the routes of the British Army’s HMT `Jackal` and `Coyote` vehicles, developed by Supacat. The solution utilises four in service Jackal 2 with the addition of Supacat’s innovative ‘Extenda’ removable 3rd axle to provide the recovery module and configure the 4×4 Jackal 2 as the 6×6 `Coyote`.
The LWRV solution also introduces Supacat’s patented ‘Supalift’ recovery system technology that will allow the recovery of the Foxhound and HMT platforms.
The modular design allows the new recovery vehicles to be returned to either `Jackal 2` or `Coyote` with the respective removal or addition of the recovery module. It also offers the flexibility for further Jackal 2 vehicles, or the whole fleet, to be converted to the 6×6 `Coyote`.
David Petheram, COO, NP Aerospace, said: “As engineering authority for the MOD UK Protected Mobility fleet, we are pleased to be working with vehicle OEMs and partners to deliver enhanced vehicle platforms that deliver significant operational benefits for the British Army. The project has received great feedback and we look forward to delivering the capability over the coming weeks.”
Phil Applegarth, Director and Head of Supacat, said: “We are proud to be able to deliver a solution that not only fills an urgently needed capability gap, but HMT’s modular design demonstrates its flexibility such as integration of `Supalift`’s game changing technology in extending the lifting capability of light vehicle recovery systems for the Army”.
Watch the video:
About Supacat
Supacat is the world’s leading specialist in the design and development of high mobility defence vehicles with over 1000 specialist, battle-proven vehicles delivered into service globally. Part of SC Group, it is an innovative engineering and design company providing global, defence focussed products and services with operations in the UK and Australia. Its agility and speed enable Supacat to provide and fully support high performance solutions in short timescales. The UK Ministry of Defence’s procurement of Jackal and Coyote vehicles demonstrates the regard in which Supacat’s capabilities and products are held.
About NP Aerospace
NP Aerospace is a global armour manufacturer and vehicle integrator with many years of experience leading complex vehicle programmes. The company has supplied products into the British Army since 1979 including personal armour, vehicle armour and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) suits. NP Aerospace has integrated and supported over 2,000 military vehicles and has designed, manufactured and installed the full multi-hit CAMAC platform armour for the Mastiff, Wolfhound, Ridgback and Buffalo vehicles used to protect army staff on UK MoD operations. NP Aerospace UK headquarters are in Coventry.
Media Contacts
Nicky Yeoman
Head of Marketing, Supacat
Tel: +44 (0) 7568 106904
Caroline Hardiman
Marketing Manager, NP Aerospace
Tel: +44 (0) 7585 969841
Supacat & NP Aerospace Deliver Training Vehicles to UK MOD
Supacat and NP Aerospace have repurposed a number of IED damaged High Mobility Truck Variant (HMTV) vehicles for UK Ministry of Defence training under the Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support (PMETS) Contract.
The vehicles have been repurposed by NP Aerospace and Supacat engineering teams for the Defence School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (DSEME) in Lyneham. Effectively introducing a simulated training aid that will improve MOD vehicle knowledge and contribute to continued safety improvements.
The initiative has enabled two HMTV Platforms, previously used for training to be returned to the field Army for operational use and increasing the number of in-service vehicles. The project involved the collection, strip-down, refurbishment and rebuild of three HMTV vehicles to provide five training aids including four static and one mobile skeletonised module. These will be used to assist apprentices and qualified technicians on various courses run by DSEME.
David Petheram, Chief Operating Officer, NP Aerospace, said: “The objective of the UK MOD PMETS Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support Contract is to deliver vehicle upgrades and improvements that drive enhancements in safety and performance capability across the fleet, whilst introducing new innovations and sustaining proven platforms. The new HMTV training aids developed with Supacat are a great example of vehicle reuse and engineering innovation for the benefit of improving expertise and knowledge.”
Phil Applegarth, Director of Supacat, commented: “The HMTV platform is a proven platform for use in harsh environments. By refurbishing damaged vehicles and upgrading them with the latest improvements for training, we are able to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring MOD teams are knowledgeable about their equipment, which ultimately keeps crew safe and maximises training or operational availability.”
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Electric Off Road Vehicle wins national award
Electric Off Road Vehicle` KTP project wins national award for SC Group – University of Exeter partnership
The SC Group – University of Exeter Knowledge Transfer Partnership led by KTP Associate Matt Harvey have won the national Innovate UK KTP 2022 Award for Business Impact & Transformation for developing an electric drive version of the company’s ATMP (All Terrain Mobility Platform) – an industry first for the propulsion and control of a high mobility off road vehicle, which is used in defence or other hazardous operating environments, including search and rescue and utilities support.
The award recognises how the two-year KTP has developed the expertise and knowhow to make military and off highway vehicles more capable and environmentally sustainable, and transformed SC Group’s capabilities to create new commercial opportunities. These include the Group’s Supacat business converting its HMT `Jackal` to hybrid electric drive for the British Army and contributed to a number of high mobility system projects outside of the defence sector via the Group’s SC Innovation business.
Design Engineer Matt, who joined the Devon high mobility vehicle specialist full time on completion of the KTP, also has a BEng in Motorsport Engineering. Matt said, “‘The award was a fantastic way to summarise the work done during and since the KTP to establish a technology within a sector that hadn’t previously been exploited. I’d like to thank the University of Exeter’s KTP team along with Professor Chris Smith as well as everyone from SC Group that assisted in making the KTP a reality, especially Steve Austen, Simon Turner, Mark Field and Yash Katare”.
Steve Austen, Engineering Director, SC Group, said, ‘This is a prestigious award as it recognises the impact the project has had on the company. We have translated its outcomes into profitable, sustainable business with a number of new customers and sectors through embedding the knowledge and expertise gained by Matt Harvey and Yash Katare (our second project associate working on optionally crewed vehicles) into the company, in keeping with the core principles of the KTP scheme.
‘Congratulations to Matt, who led a brilliant project and to Yash, Simon Turner and Mark Field for providing such sterling support and company supervision of these projects. I should also like to extend my sincere thanks to Prof Chris Smith and Sophie O’Callaghan at the University of Exeter and to Dr Andy Treen at Innovate UK for making this such a successful and enjoyable team effort – the impact of this project will shape the business for years to come.’
Innovate UK’s Andy Treen, Knowledge Transfer Adviser for Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, said, “It was fantastic work on such an interesting project with Supacat and Exeter University. The project has more than delivered on its ambitious goals with every partner gaining significant benefits. The KTP associate, Matt Harvey, was central to the project and his skills, enthusiasm and dedication have been rightly recognised by the KTP Award.”
Prof Chris Smith, Director of the Centre for Future Clean Mobility, who was lead supervisor for Matt Harvey whilst he was KTP Associate working between the University and Supacat, states: “Matt was an outstanding employee, calmly and steadily working out how best to electrify the ATMP vehicle. This was a first in class, so nobody knew the answers beforehand. What Matt achieved in the end worked incredibly well from both the engineering and the business points of view. This work is helping shape the progress of electrification of defence vehicles in the UK and beyond.”
Watch the Innovate UK KTP Awards 2022
Supacat delivers upgraded British Army CBRN vehicles to RBSL
Delivery of British Army CBRN to RBSL
UK defence vehicle developer, Supacat, has delivered the first tranche of upgraded British Army Fuchs/Fox CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) surveillance and reconnaissance vehicles to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL).
As part of an overall £16m UK MOD contract awarded to RBSL in October 2020 to upgrade and sustain the British Army’s fleet of Fuchs/Fox vehicles Supacat is conducting the physical integration of the latest chemical and radiological sensing equipment, RBSL having completed the engineering work required to upgrade the CBRN vehicles.
Originally designed and developed by Rheinmetall, the British Army’s Fuchs/Fox vehicles were adapted into a protected platform equipped with automatic systems and sensors for detecting nuclear radiation, CBRN agents and other toxic substances. This latest contract will help modernise the fleet further and ensure operational readiness and effectiveness of the UK CBRN reconnaissance fleet.
The contract is the latest collaboration opportunity between Supacat and RBSL as Supacat grows its Engineering Services business to support global primes in the UK and Australia where it operates.
Phil Applegarth, Director of Supacat, said:
“This contract demonstrates how our relationship with RBSL provides comprehensive engineering expertise to the UK MOD, by increased agility through RBSL collaborating with an SME, and sustains high value jobs and skills in the UK”.
“Our engineers are able to bring extensive experience in delivering fully integrated, battle-proven vehicle systems, as demonstrated by the HMT platform (Jackal and Coyote) to maintain this critical UK MOD capability.”
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Photography courtesy of Andrew Linnett Crown Copyright.
About Supacat
Supacat is the world’s leading specialist in the design and development of high mobility defence vehicles with over 1000 specialist, battle-proven vehicles delivered into service globally. Part of SC Group, it is an innovative engineering and design company providing global, defence focussed products and services with offices in the UK and Australia. Its agility and speed enables Supacat to provide and fully support high performance solutions in short timescales. The UK Ministry of Defence’s procurement of Jackal and Coyote vehicles demonstrates the regard in which Supacat’s capabilities and products are held. www.supacat.com
Media Contacts:
Nicky Yeoman, SC Group: [email protected]
+44 (0) 7568 106904/+44 (0) 1404 892592
Celia Turner, CTPR: [email protected]
Supacat and MBDA show concept demonstrator of new Brimstone HMT
Overwatch capability for Light Forces at DVD 2022
Supacat and MBDA are jointly showing Brimstone HMT Overwatch, a concept demonstrator of a new tactical capability for Light Forces, at DVD, 21-22 September 2022 at Millbrook UTC, UK. The concept was first unveiled earlier this month at Army Expo.
The UK high mobility defence vehicle specialist and European missiles group have collaborated to integrate MBDA’s Brimstone precision weapon onto Supacat’s HMT vehicle to equip the Light Forces tactical commander with the organic capability to deliver precision anti-armour effects at long ranges and in volume.
Phil Applegarth, Director of Supacat, said, “Overwatch creates a potent new capability for Light Forces, combining HMT’s all terrain agility with Brimstone’s precision effects, and demonstrates the versatility of both elements”.
Mike Mew, UK SBD Director MBDA UK, said: “This Light Overwatch concept showcases how we can take an in-service platform and rapidly deliver an operational capability that provides a major lethality boost to the front-line, while learning lessons to spiral capabilities for the future. This is a great UK industry example of experimentation, supporting Op MOBILISE, accelerating Future Soldier and alignment with the Land Industry Strategy”
Supacat’s HMT (High Mobility Transport) platform is designed for modularity and equipment integration while Brimstone’s ‘one missile, multi-platform’ versatile design can be integrated onto helicopters, fixed wing aircraft (including fast jets), land vehicles, naval platforms and UAVs.
Brimstone HMT Overwatch provides an all-weather fire-and-forget capability and with low collateral damage in restrictive engagement scenarios. It allows for quick and effective engagement and for enhanced flexibility in mission fit capability options to repel adversary formations and single point targets. It has a salvo launch option to achieve co-ordinated effects on multiple targets during a single mission and includes line-of-sight or non-line-of-sight engagements, third-party targeting and high off-boresight agility. Brimstone also provides best-in-class Insensitive Munitions-compliance for safety.
Brimstone and HMT are each battle-proven with Brimstone achieving over 98% operational success rate in defeating static, moving and manoeuvring target sets including MBTs and other armoured vehicles. HMT is operated by British Forces as `Jackal` and `Coyote` and globally by numerous special forces.
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About Supacat
Supacat is the world’s leading specialist in the design and development of high mobility defence vehicles with over 1000 specialist, battle-proven vehicles delivered into service globally. Part of SC Group, it is an innovative engineering and design company providing global, defence focussed products and services with offices in the UK and Australia. Its agility and speed enables Supacat to provide and fully support high performance solutions in short timescales. The UK Ministry of Defence’s procurement of Jackal and Coyote vehicles demonstrates the regard in which Supacat’s capabilities and products are held. www.supacat.com
About MBDA
MBDA is the only European defence group capable of designing and producing missiles and missile systems that correspond to the full range of current and future operational needs of the three armed forces (land, sea and air).
With a significant presence in five European countries and within the USA, in 2021 MBDA achieved revenue of 4.2 billion euros with an order book of 17.8 billion euros. In total, the group offers a range of 45 missile systems and countermeasures products already in operational service and more than 15 others currently in development.
MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%), and Leonardo (25%).
For information:
Supacat
Nicky Yeoman, SC Group – Supacat: [email protected]
+44 (0) 7568 106904/+44 (0) 1404 892592
Celia Turner, CTPR: [email protected]
+44(0)7703 344425
MBDA
Nick de Larrinaga
+44 (0) 7812 624739
[email protected]
The loss of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has left the Country in-mourning.
On Thursday 8th September 2022, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II left us to walk again beside her beloved husband, Prince Phillip, leaving Britain and the rest of the world heavy-hearted.
The Queen has for the last 70 years been a constant and a positive influence, she has dealt with many personal and professional battles but has always remained dignified, diligent, and dutiful to her oath to ‘Serve’ the Country, the Realm and the Commonwealth.
Words spoken by our late, great, Queen Elizabeth II, always had an undertone of wisdom weaved through, which we must take heed of today! But now as we honor our Queen, we find ourselves lost for words, as no words can fill the void she has left or could ever be enough to explain what she meant to so many. She was a gracious figurehead, who meant the world!
As we move into a new era, the Carolean period; we will pause and reflect on this historic moment. We will also take time to grieve and celebrate, the life of a Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms, as well as welcome in our new King Charles III.
As a wise Queen Elizabeth II once said, “Grief is the price we pay for Love.” statement that we should perhaps, take a moment to reflect upon.
We will be a little quiet in our comms as we reflect during this period of mourning – so please bear with us!
Our thoughts are with the Royal Family during this time.
Long Live the King – King Charles III
Peace be with you all, Supacat and all at SC Group
Pioneering Devon Engineer Nick Jones celebrates 80th with Supacat Family
The pioneering engineer of specialist off road vehicles, Nick Jones, who co-founded Dunkeswell based Supacat, celebrated his 80th Birthday with employees, collaborators, friends and family on 13 August.
In preparation for the event held at Supacat’s Test Track on the RAF Culmhead National Heritage site, Nick was presented with his own much used, and prized, Supacat 6×6 vehicle, which had been immaculately refurbished by the company’s Paint Shop.
Still an active Director, Nick continues to oversee technical developments across Supacat’s holding company SC Group, which has become one of the world’s leaders in developing off road vehicles and equipment for harsh environments – from the globally leading special forces vehicle to the RNLI’s Shannon Launch & Recovery System.
“I am very proud of our Devon company’s achievements over the years and we have proved how British innovation and engineering can the lead the world. I’m excited we’re now taking the lead with Exeter University in developing electric and autonomous technology for extreme off road vehicles”, said Nick Jones.
Nick began in engineering over 50 years ago as an apprentice with FJ Edwards of Chard, followed by a move to Portland Group in Bath where he developed a prototype Hover Land Rover and various special-purpose vehicles and his passion for developing and manufacturing cross-country vehicles.
In 1981 Nick and business partner David Clayton founded Supacat to develop the Supacat 6×6 All-Terrain Mobile Platform (ATMP) to meet an urgent need of UK Ministry of Defence for a rugged off road `workhorse`, which subsequently became exported worldwide. He oversaw the development of the renowned HMT vehicle developed for special forces, which the British Army then acquired as the 4×4 `Jackal` and 6×6 `Coyote` to serve in its core fleet.
Supacat Mk2 ATMP refurbished back to original vehicle!