The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has released a tender for the “repairs of various axles, transmissions, and associated assemblies” for military vehicles.
This contract, which has an estimated value between £7 million and £12 million, is set to last five years, with an option for an additional two years, potentially making it a seven-year agreement.
According to the tender notice, the MOD intends to “award a five (5) year Framework Agreement with two (2) option years subject to requirement and satisfactory performance.”
The agreement will cover a range of military vehicle components, detailed within two specific Lots as outlined in the “associated Contract Notice and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) on the Defence Sourcing Portal.”
The MOD specifies that the successful contractor(s) “will be required to supply all spares/components necessary to undertake the repair/remanufacturing process” and to ensure that the repaired articles are delivered according to “appropriate Military Packing Levels” post-remanufacture.
The contract mandates that all overhauled or repaired articles must meet “OEM specifications with an accompanying Certificate of Conformance detailing results of any applicable output tests.”
The MOD also reserves the right to “add further items of a similar nature to the contract post award,” indicating potential for additional work beyond the initial scope.
Prospective suppliers must complete the associated PQQ, which will be assessed based on the selection criteria provided within the PQQ. The MOD notes that it intends to “down select and Invite to Tender only those economic operators who successfully complete the PQQ, provide all mandatory information and are not subject to any mandatory exclusion.”
The deadline for submissions is set for 23 September 2024, with the contract expected to commence on 31 March 2025 and continue until 30 March 2030.
432 sustainment program ?
Joke? FV430s are surely all being replaced by Boxer variants. Why sustain vehs that are over 60 years old?
Yes, just hope the build rate increases.
Yes, I agree. It is hopeless at the moment. FOC stated to be 2032 but I doubt all Warriors and 430s will be replaced by then.
With the current build rate, looks impossible to have replacements by 2030.
And they haven’t announced any further orders since 2022, RCH155 aside.
I’d feel a lot more confident if they announced a purchase imminently of several hundred more Boxers— even if in the basic APC configuration— and perhaps even an additional production line.
But this is most probably wishful thinking!
Morning Graham, I thought that would wake you up 🙂
But as Sam posts, when?
Haha!! ‘Janes’ of 1 Jul 2024 says: “The British Army plans to achieve a Boxer Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2025, and Full Operational Capability (FOC) in 2032.”
I am a bit sceptical given that the build rate is currently slow and only 623 have been ordered (plus the howitzers RCH-155). Plenty more need to be ordered; when they are will FOC still be 2032 or will that be pushed back ‘to the right’?
No idea when in that period (2025-2032) the 432s will be replaced – no detailed fielding programme is in the public domain.
I think they will make IOC on time – with the APC infantry carrier; the RS4 can mount a grenade launcher (and Javelin.)
Reading around I find references to a desire for a 120mm turreted mortar version. Don’t know where this sits in the shopping list.
With the number of vehicles they’re retiring by 2030, it’d better be pretty sharpish!
Haven’t we given some of the best 430 Bulldog variants to Ukraine? It looks like there is a plan and that the first tranche of Boxers replaces these?
I guess this ‘axle’ contract is a prudent minimum cost step to make sure the ‘legacy’ vehicles we might be called on to deploy will actually work.
Possibly, but there were still over 700 Bulldogs in service in last year’s UK figures.
Thats more than the total that have been ordered so far, of all variants combined.
2025 will be a milestone year. IOC for both Boxer and Ajax, deliveries of CR3 and the defence review published to clarify equipment and service personnel numbers.
Well, let’s hope so!
Think emotional cycle of change: uninformed optimism>uninformed pessimism>valley of despair>informed optimism>sucess!
My take is that we are climbing out of the valley of despair to informed optimism. 🙂
Although we can’t yet see the evidence of success in terms of IOC, we know that things are quietly happening; growing the industrial base, training, prototype trials etc. ( here thx are due to George for motivation updates ). The seeds were sown some time ago with some significant decisions by the people who set the direction of change. e.g. the decision to rejoin the Boxer project; the choice to enter new relationships to resurrect and reshape industrial capabilities – General Dynamics and Ajax; Rheinmetall; Babcock; Harland &Wolf ( Navantia). Making these decisions effective has required a lot of hard work and commitment with lots of people ‘supporters’ shouting from the sidelines. 🙂
Well let’s see. It will be great if Boxer and Ajax finally reach IOC next year.
I still think, these ships should be painted grey.