Supacat are pleased to announce that they are the title sponsor of the British Army’s Cape Epic Mountain Bike Team. From 27 March – 3 April 2010 Army cyclists, Captain Tony Ireland, currently serving in Cyprus and Staff Sergeant Phil Marland, of 29 Regt RLC will tackle one of the world’s toughest mountain bike races, the ABSA CAPE EPIC 2010. This is the finale to a years’ worth of endurance mountain bike racing that has aimed to raise awareness and funds for two very worthy charities; Help for Heroes and the Army Benevolent Fund.

The CAPE EPIC is described as Africa’s magical and untamed mountain bike race; it is the ultimate test for a mountain bike racer, attracting top professional riders from across the world. Each team of two will endure 8 demanding days of racing through South Africa’s unspoilt Western Cape, in the mountain biking equivalent of the Tour de France. The 800km route passes through wide open African plains, majestic mountains, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards. The Cape Epic is characterised by dusty and demanding gravel paths, strenuous rocky uphills, thrilling technical downhills, magnificent river crossings and stunning forested single tracks that include over 16,000m of climbing; that’s the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest…….twice! Further information can be found on the event website www.cape-epic.com.

Throughout their voyage they aim to continue to raise awareness of the work that their chosen charities do. Donations in support of the team’s charities can be made via the team’s websites:

• Help 4 Heroes – www.justgiving.com/the_epic_ride_H4H
• Army Benevolent Fund – www.justgiving.com/the_epic_ride_ABF

Members of Supacat met the team today during an exciting photo shoot alongside the Jackal vehicle at Supacat’s test track in Devon. Supacat’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Jamie Clarke said: “we are delighted to be supporting the Army’s Cape Epic Team on this unbelievably challenging event. Supreme cross-country performance in arduous and hostile terrain is not new to Supacat and as you can see from the pictures, we share the team’s enthusiasm for muddy tyres! We wish Tony and Phil the very best of luck and hope our support helps them along the track to success. Good luck!”.

 

Supacat exhibited at the Autosport International show from 14-17 Jan 2010 at the NEC Birmingham. Participation was in support of the Motorsport Industry Association’s ‘Motorsport to Defence’ Initiative. This initiative aims to harness the considerable technology and capabilities present within the Motorsport world and channel them into defence where the increasing tempo of operations is driving up the performance levels of military equipment. Supacat’s Jackal is a state of the art, high performance military platform and already has over 10 MIA member supplier’s components integrated within the design.

 

Supacat’s Jamie Clarke also presented an overview of the defence industry at the MIA’s Motorsport to Defence Workshop on 14 Jan helping member companies to understand the strengths of their offerings and including some advice on how to market into the defence sector.

 

Supacat’s relationship with the MIA is a good one and will continue with support to a number of MIA events throughout 2010.

 

To read more about the MIA and ‘Motorsport to Defence’, click here.

 

Members of the Royal Marines Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) and 42 Commando Reconnaissance Force (CRF) have visited Supacat.
The visit aimed to provide Supacat engineers with direct feedback following the Royal Marines’ operational use of Jackal vehicles in Afghanistan. Proving a huge success, the visit enabled the collective group to analyse the Royal Marines’ experiences and discuss potential future improvements and upgrades to the Jackal fleet.
Perhaps the most impressed Marine at yesterday’s meeting was Sergeant Mark (Banjo) Haig, who was saved from an almost certainly fatal blast by the Jackal’s protection. He was in the front of a Jackal in Helmand earlier this year when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated under the vehicle, badly damaging it, but not seriously injuring any of his crew. He says: “The seats collapsed and the protection systems worked – it did what it was supposed to do. It could have been fatal if I hadn’t been in the Jackal.
“No vehicle is invincible but it is a great vehicle and very manoeuvrable. It does what it’s designed to do and it makes a big difference out on operations.”
You can watch clips and read more about the visit in the Western Morning News (click here) and the BBC News website (click here).

 

 

Supacat is proud to announce that its Jackal vehicle was featured on the BBC’s Top Gear programme on 12 July. Taking part in a game of ‘British Bulldog’, Supacat’s Jackal demonstrator successfully hunted down Jeremy Clarkson and was part of the team of Army-crewed vehicles that destroyed the Mitsubishi EVO he was using as his escape car.
Clarkson was clearly surprised when the Jackal was able to keep up with him at cross-country speeds of over 70mph.
You can read more about the filming of this feature in our news story. There is more at the Top Gear website and the Ministry of Defence has also written a news story about the show.

 

The new `Coyote` Tactical Support Vehicle (Light), due to enter service later this year in support of operations in Afghanistan, received its official launch today by Quentin Davies, Minister, Defence Equipment and Services, at DVD, the annual event showcasing land equipment for the UK’s Armed Forces. Designed by Supacat, over 70 of the new Coyote vehicles are being manufactured by Babcock alongside the existing Jackal 2 production line.

“The `Coyote` is the latest Supacat product developed to meet the rapidly evolving operational requirements of our armed forces. Coyote is an exciting new variant that will take the capability levels, both in terms of protection and mobility, of support type platforms way above that previously on offer to the UK forces”, said Nick Ames, Managing Director, Supacat.

`Coyote` shares common design features with the Jackal 2 and provides the same increased levels of protection and mobility. It’s 6×6 configuration offers a higher payload of up to 3,000 kilos and provides a large, flexible load space at the rear of the vehicle. Powered by the same 6.7 litre turbo-charged Cummins engine `Coyote` is equipped with a gun-ring and seats up to four crew.

In April a £74 million contract was awarded to Supacat as prime contractor, supported by Babcock as vehicle manufacturer, in response to the UK MoD’s latest Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) to deliver more than 70 of the new 6×6 `Coyote` TSV(L) and around 110 Jackal 2, the enhanced, latest iteration of the widely acclaimed ‘Jackal’ weapons-mounted 4×4 patrol vehicle, also designed by Supacat and manufactured by Babcock. The contract for Coyote and Jackal 2 is part of the £700 million Protected Mobility Package announced by the MoD in late 2008.

“The ‘Coyote’ will be built at Devonport using the same successful continuous improvement manufacturing techniques and ‘pulse line’ production that have been successfully applied to produce the Jackal vehicles at a rate of one per day,” Babcock Equipment Solutions Managing Director Roger Gillespie said. “A number of Jackal 2 patrol vehicles have already been built and delivered under the latest UOR contract, with the first of the Coyotes scheduled for delivery this month.”

To deliver the contract Supacat and Babcock have formed an innovative alliance to ensure the UK Armed Forces receive the best possible equipment within the shortest possible timescale, working with the MoD’s Protected Mobility Team in a close and open partnering relationship. As the design authority Supacat is responsible for design, development, prototyping, integration and overall programme management. Babcock is responsible for detailed production planning, purchasing and manufacture at its Devonport dockyard facility. A single project office, located at Supacat’s facility in Dunkeswell, Devon, provides overall control.

You can read more about the Coyote launch at the BBC news website

For further information, please contact:
Ed Lloyd Owen on 020 7993 3833 or email [email protected] (Supacat) OR
Sarah Manwaring-White on 01451 844 488 or email [email protected] (Babcock)

About Supacat Ltd
Supacat specialises in the design and development of high mobility vehicles and other specialist transport systems for military and civil customers. The company was founded in 1981 to develop the Supacat 6×6 high mobility vehicle and is a UK centre of excellence in all terrain transport technology. Designed by Supacat, the HMT vehicle is manufactured under licence from Lockheed Martin. From its facility at Dunkeswell, Devon, UK, it employs 105 people across a range of engineering disciplines, including design, testing and prototype manufacture through to maintenance, repair and overhaul and low rate production. It provides a complete support management service for its own as well as other manufacturers’ vehicles.

Supacat has a strong, proven background in military vehicle design, including the potent Jackal, a 4×4 mobile, weapons-mounted, long-range patrol vehicle, with its high level of mobility and protection, and 6×6 Military Enhancement Programme (MEP) version – both of which are variants of Supacat’s original High Mobility Transporter (HMT) concept.

About Babcock International Group PLC
Babcock is a FTSE 250 company, and one of the UK’s leading support services organisations with an order book at £5.7 billion and recorded revenue of £ 1.9 billion in 2008. Among the sectors in which it operates, Babcock is a leading through-life defence specialist. Through its Marine division it is the UK’s leading naval support business and is the largest support provider to the Royal Navy.

Within Babcock’s Marine division, its Land Systems business is geared to building and supporting military vehicles. OEM independent and working closely with a number of vehicle designers and prime contractors, with a proven track record in military vehicle production, Babcock is recognised for delivering high quality within tight lead times. Its skilled and experienced workforce at all levels, combined with the understanding and ability to apply techniques such as continuous improvement manufacturing processes, and effective supply chain management, ensures successful projects.

 

Supacat Ltd, the designer of the widely acclaimed ‘Jackal’ weapons-mounted 4×4 patrol vehicle and Babcock the leading engineering support specialists have formed an industry alliance to deliver around 110 Jackal 2 (the enhanced, latest iteration of the original Jackal design), and more than 70 of the new 6×6 ‘Coyote’ Tactical Support Vehicle (Light) (TSV(L)). Supacat as the vehicle designer has been awarded the prime contract supported by Babcock as the vehicle manufacturer for whom the contract is worth around £55 million.

This contract is in response to the MoD’s latest Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) and is a part of the £700 million Protected Mobility Package announced by the MoD late last year. The vast majority of both vehicle types are scheduled for delivery in 2009 to support operations in Afghanistan.

Within the alliance, Supacat, as the design authority will be responsible for design, development, prototyping, integration and overall programme management. Babcock will take responsibility for detailed production planning, purchasing and manufacture at their Devonport dockyard facility. A single project office, located at Dunkeswell in Devon, will provide overall control.

The alliance draws on the key strengths, resources and expertise of each party and combines the best of both. It is underpinned by a commercial construct that sees all costs and risks shared, fees divided equitably for optimised risk and reward management and alignment of both parties to common project objectives. It embodies the true meaning of an alliance as a co-operative relationship between key contractors on a project working together to deliver significant performance improvements and enhanced business results.

The combined team of the MoD and contractors have very recently been honoured with two acquisition awards from the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, for the successful delivery of the Jackal 1 UOR programme. The formation of the alliance provides an opportunity to build on that success and work closely with the MoD’s Protected Mobility Team, continuing the already established close and open partnering relationship, with the Supacat-Babcock Alliance taking on the role of ‘provider’ and the MoD as ‘decider’.

Nick Ames, Managing Director, Supacat is delighted, “This alliance will help to ensure that our Armed Forces receive the best possible equipment within the shortest possible timescale. More importantly, it will both enhance their operational effectiveness and their protection. Also, the incorporation of the design authority, Supacat, within the alliance will ensure that in future the product will be continually improved and updated. This means that our Armed Forces will always have access to the latest equipment upgrades for their vehicles without avoidable time delays. We are extremely pleased that we can help in this way.”

Roger Gillespie, Babcock’s Equipment Solutions Managing Director, echoes this view and stated, “We each bring key strengths to the table; this alliance combines these to create a strong partnership with the capability to deliver maximum productivity and optimum quality, performance and cost-effectiveness to the MoD. We have previously worked closely with Supacat in delivering over 200 Jackals to the MoD, and this contract will further demonstrate that this method of design, production and delivery is the best for the MoD’s needs.”

BBC News have published an article about the new deal.

For further information or an interview with Nick Ames or Roger Gillespie;

Please contact:

Ed Lloyd Owen on 020 7993 3833 or email [email protected] (Supacat) OR

Sarah Manwaring-White on 01451 844 488 or email [email protected] (Babcock)

 

About the Supacat/Babcock Alliance

The alliance reflects the growing move towards industrial partnerships and collaboration in the defence sector, and also builds on the close MoD/industry partnering that has been behind the success of the first Jackal vehicles, built and delivered to demanding time schedules during 2008. As such it echoes the ‘central partnering/creation of alliances’ theme of the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS).

About Supacat Ltd

Supacat specialises in the design and development of high mobility vehicles and other specialist transport systems for military and civil customers. The company was founded in 1981 to develop the Supacat 6×6 high mobility vehicle and is a UK centre of excellence in all terrain transport technology. Designed by Supacat, the HMT vehicle is manufactured under licence from Lockheed Martin. From its facility at Dunkeswell, Devon, UK, it employs 105 people across a range of engineering disciplines, including design, testing and prototype manufacture through to maintenance, repair and overhaul and low rate production. It provides a complete support management service for its own as well as other manufacturers’ vehicles.

Supacat has a strong, proven background in military vehicle design, including the potent Jackal, a 4×4 mobile, weapons-mounted, long-range patrol vehicle, with its high level of mobility and protection, and 6×6 Military Enhancement Programme (MEP) version – both of which are variants of Supacat’s original High Mobility Transporter (HMT) concept.

About Babcock International Group PLC

1. Babcock is an engineering support services company with a market capitalisation of around £1billion

2. In the financial year ended 31 March 2008 Babcock reported revenues of £1.56 billion and underlying profit before tax of £95.5 million

3. Babcock’s key strengths are

a. a highly technical engineering skill base

b. a complex project management capability

c. an ability to work in partnership with its customers to deliver the highest standards of customer satisfaction

d. a thorough understanding of and ability to manage customers’ operationally critical assets

4. Babcock operates through six divisions based extensively in the UK with operations in southern Africa and North America.

5. Through its Marine division Babcock is the UK’s leading naval support business and is the largest support provider to the Royal Navy. Babcock is the sole provider of through-life support to the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet and owns the only facilities in the UK where nuclear submarines can undergo refuelling and deep refit work. Babcock also manages, on behalf of the Royal Navy, the Clyde naval base at which the majority of submarines are based and where in-service maintenance is carried out.

6. Within Babcock’s Marine division, its Land Systems business is geared to building and supporting military vehicles. OEM independent and working closely with a number of vehicle designers and prime contractors, with a proven track record in military vehicle production, Babcock is recognised for delivering high quality within tight lead times. Its skilled and experienced workforce at all levels, combined with the understanding and ability to apply techniques such as lean manufacturing processes, and effective supply chain management, ensures successful projects.

 

 

On 21 April Supacat hosted a Media Drive Day at the MoD’s Long Valley cross-country test circuit near Aldershot.

Attended by over 60 members of the national and industry press, the event was a huge success. The day kicked off with the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, announcing the award of a £74 million contract to Supacat (click here to read press release).

Following that, guests were given the opportunity to experience the capabilities of the Supacat products first hand both being driven around the track and also, having the opportunity to drive under supervision. Amongst others, the first Jackal 2 was available for all to see and drive offering a number of improvements over the already successful Jackal 1.

You can watch video and read an article about the Jackal 2 launch at the BBC news website.