Supacat’s Common Base Platform integral to the British Army’s Modernisation of Equipment

On display at the world’s largest defence show DSEI, Supacat’s Common Base Platform will be ‘integral’ to the British Army’s ‘Modernisation of Equipment’ within UK Government’s Land Industrial Strategy.

As the British Army gears up to meet one of the MoD Land Industrial Strategy’s (LIS) objective which is to rationalise its current fleet of land mobility platforms from 35 to 15, Devon-based Supacat will be showcasing its High Mobility Transporters (HMT) Common Base Platform (closed cab / flatbed) at this year’s DSEI event, September 12 -15. The company will be exhibiting on Stand H4-460.

Supacat received an order from MOD for a further 70 of its HMT systems in February this year. These common base platforms can be fitted with mission modules to fulfil a variety of roles and agile operational needs as the Army makes this important transition.

This, Supacat says, is ‘integral’ to the Army’s rationalisation of its fleet by 2035, given the directive to maximise collaboration between the MoD, the Army and wider industry.

Phil Applegarth director, head of Supacat, said: “In a rapidly changing world, one of increased threats from land and air, it is vital that modern armies acquire the simplicity and flexibility afforded by versatile mobility platforms that share common or interchangeable parts to simplify supply, maintenance and logistics and enhance combat effectiveness. While the LIS itself is relatively new, Supacat has a 40-year pedigree of pioneering modular solutions for the British Army, enabling a variety of vehicle types to meet operational requirements and in-theatre needs.

“Our Mk 2 common base modular platform, can be easily re-rolled during its lifecycle through update, upkeep, upgrade, offering the value and flexibility required to support the modernisation of equipment objective within the strategy, and of course paving a smoother fleet transition for the MoD and the Army.”

Attendance at DSEI comes at a very busy time for Supacat. Following the Army’s requirement earlier this year for The Jackal 3, Supacat in collaboration with Babcock International Group Plc, production is in full flow and set to meet the required delivery targets. The order could potentially rise to 240 should operational requirements demand.

Nick Ames chief executive, added: “2023 has been a very busy, but productive and exciting year for us. We continue to fulfil all production requirements for the Jackal 3, and our production line is ready to meet customer demands from the UK and export markets as required.  As one of the MoD’s key industrial suppliers we remain committed and fully support the LIS.”

Supacat’s HMT Common Base Platform family of vehicles are the heritage of Supacat’s design philosophy. The vehicles all share proven sub-systems leading to increased reliability and reduced logistic support. They can be configured with a variety of mission modules and protection levels to best suit operational requirements. These variations start with 4 x4 or 6×6 drivelines and end with open or closed architectures ranging from 6500-12000kg Gross Vehicle Mass.

 

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 focused products and services, with offices 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.

Supacat is part of SC Group. Building on three decades of engineering design success, SC Group has grown to be one of the world’s leading companies specialising in the design and development of equipment operating in harsh environments, bringing innovative solutions to our customers in a range of sectors, from defence and oil & gas to renewable energy, nuclear power to mineral exploration.

 

About DSEI.

DSEI 2023, in the most significant and largest iteration of the show in its 24-year history, will tackle the theme of ‘Achieving an Integrated Force’. Highlighting the pertinence of integrating across the five operational domains of Air, Cyber, electromagnetic activities (CEMA), Land, Sea and Space.

Featuring over 2,800 defence and security suppliers – including major prime manufacturers plus more than 230 new exhibitors. DSEI is the premier hybrid event of its kind and is crucial in bringing governments, the armed forces and the wider industry together.

 

 

 

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.

www.supacat.com

 

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.

www.npaerospace.com

 

Media Contacts

 

Nicky Yeoman

Head of Marketing, Supacat

Tel: +44 (0) 7568 106904

[email protected]

 

Caroline Hardiman

Marketing Manager, NP Aerospace

Tel: +44 (0) 7585 969841

[email protected]

 

Hybrid drive system for Supacat’s HMT400 promises enhanced capabilities

Supacat’s HMT400 is a favourite of the British Armed Forces, nicknamed “Jackal” by troops and commanders. To enhance operational capabilities, the British Ministry of Defence has contracted various organisations to design and produce hybrid electric-drive systems for some of their fleets, one of which is the HMT400.

The electric drive solution for the HMT400 is intended to deliver a range of operational benefits. Hybrid drive will allow silent mobility and enhanced silent watch capabilities for stealth operations, while on-board electrical power will allow the insertion of the latest technological upgrades and provide exportable power for other power-hungry demountable systems. The introduction of a hybrid drive system will also play a part in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, increasing armies’ long-term energy sustainability.

Supacat has a long-term interest in electric-drive military vehicles – as early as 2003, the company displayed the original Supacat GHOST concept at its UK proving ground. Such exploration of hybrid drive concepts forms just one part of the company’s emphasis on technical innovations providing the most effective solutions for soldiers on the front line.

“The development of a hybrid electric-drive system for the HMT400, in cooperation with various partner organisations, is an example of delivering exciting developments in combat vehicle innovation, helping to make our “Jackal” a vehicle for the present and the future,” says Phil Applegarth, Director at Supacat. “If we are chosen to supply vehicles for the Czech Republic, the country can expect similarly beneficial industrial and innovation partnerships. Our recent teaming agreement with LPP demonstrates our intent to build up a strong network of Czech partners to ensure the best possible vehicle solution for the Czech Armed Forces.”

General (retired) Žižka, Director of Strategic Projects at systems integrator LPP, confirms the interest of Supacat’s Czech potential customer and its partners in the hybrid drive solution. “Hybrid electric-drive solution is an intriguing opportunity, not only in the United Kingdom, but also for the Czech Republic’s forthcoming tender for the paratroopers. Such a system would provide promising possibilities for “stealth” operations not only for them, but it could be used also for special operation forces. This solution will positively influence operational logistics in terms of refuelling requirements.”

The British MoD will analyse the operational impact of the new technical capabilities for the HMT400 based on demonstrator models. A positive assessment could lead to the delivery of enhanced capabilities for Supacat’s HMT400 vehicles both in the UK, and around the world. Supacat has to date delivered over 1000 battle-proven vehicles into service globally.

 

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. Building on firm foundations with three decades of engineering design success, the company has grown to be one of the world’s leading companies specialising in the design and development of equipment operating in harsh environments. Supacat’s passionate and committed team has the skills, expertise, dedication and focus to provide the highest value to customers with bespoke quality products and services. Supacat’s range of off-road wheeled and tracked vehicles continues to expand as new requirements for high-mobility cross-country defence vehicles arise. Supacat is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 and delivers all aspects of vehicle design, including engineering, testing, prototype manufacture, certification, low- rate production and fleet support. The company has offices in the UK and Australia.

About LPP
LPP s.r.o. is a technological company which was founded in 1993, to become very soon a local industrial leader in development and manufacturing of the flight instruments. Company has gradually expanded into other production areas, mainly in the land forces domain with the Vehicular Information and Battle Management System, which was successfully integrated as a part of Command and Control system into various combat and support platforms of Czech Armed Forces.
Nowadays the company provides comprehensive solutions to the customers all over the world not only in the Defense and Security Sector, but also in the area of intelligence and civilian rescue systems. LPP’s solutions include an artificial intelligence, big data analysis, information and cyber security systems, as well. Based on its own expertise, knowledge management and long-term engagement, has introduced own C6 ISR system, including a full integration of necessary sub-systems into the various aerial and land platforms.
Besides that, LPP focuses on development and production of own vetronics, control and data terminals, diagnostic units as well as various E/O sensors. In an aerospace sector the company is capable to provide complete avionics suits, including own EFIS and ESIS displays, mission computers, HUMS and other various instruments. LPP team predestines the company to provide its customers with the innovative and top-of-the-art solutions.

Supacat ATMP goes electric

The Supacat All-Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP) is under-going an ‘engine face-lift’, moving from an all diesel platform to an electric/hybrid vehicle.

Back in January 2020, Major General Bennett, Director Capability British Army, gave a keynote speech where he announced the impending developments and requirements of the British Army. Maj Gen Bennett expressed a requirement to “invest a further £100m in novel technologies such as hybrid electric drives”.

The Unmanned Systems Technology journal published an article by Peter Donaldson explaining that Supacat is ahead of the curve. The H-ATMP is the first platform in the Supacat range which demonstrates that Supacat is preparing for the future requirements of the British Army as announced by Maj Gen Bennett.

To read the full article published in the UST-Media click on the link below.

Read the article here

 

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