Babcock International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with British defence SME Supacat to collaborate on its proposed replacement for the British Army’s outgoing Land Rover under the Light Mobility Vehicle competition, the company stated.
The agreement builds on the relationship between the two companies following the completion of the Jackal 3 programme earlier this month. According to Babcock, both parties will draw on their experience from that programme to design and deliver a sovereign capability underpinned by a UK supply chain for the British Army.
Babcock has developed the General Logistics Vehicle family for the Light Mobility Vehicle programme, using the Toyota Land Cruiser LC70 as its platform, with the range spanning medium wheelbase, long wheelbase and utility variants. The company says the MoU allows it and Supacat to explore how their complementary skills can enhance the offering, and supports Babcock’s commitment to working with SMEs under its SME Engagement Charter.
Louise Atkinson, Chief Executive of Babcock’s Land and Mission Systems sector, was quoted in the press release as saying: “The British Army needs a practical, safe and innovative light mobility vehicle that can deliver dependable capability wherever it is deployed. Our General Logistics Vehicle is built on a proven platform and combines operational effectiveness with affordability, supportability and a strong UK supply chain. We are delighted to continue our strategic partnership with Supacat. As two British companies with a shared commitment to supporting the UK’s defence and security, our solution will strengthen sovereign capability, sustain highly skilled jobs and reinforce the UK’s defence industrial base. Our collaboration on the Jackal 3 programme demonstrated the value of bringing together complementary expertise, and we look forward to building on that success as we develop a best-in-class Light Mobility Vehicle solution for the British Army.”
Phil Applegarth, Director and Head of Supacat, was quoted in the press release as saying: “Our relationship with Babcock has been enduring over several decades, notwithstanding the latest collaboration of the Jackal 3 programme which was a great example of how strong collaboration can play a huge part of supporting the Defence Industrial Strategy and maintaining a true sovereign industrial base. We are looking forward to supporting Babcock in the Light Mobility Vehicle Programme with our expertise in vehicle design and manufacturing.”
The Light Mobility Vehicle programme is intended to provide the British Army with a successor to the Land Rover Defender, which served for decades as the Army’s standard light utility vehicle before being withdrawn from frontline use, leaving a gap in the fleet for a compact, deployable general-purpose vehicle. The partnership pairs Babcock, a FTSE 100 defence company, with Supacat, the Devon-based firm behind the Jackal and Coyote high-mobility vehicles, the pair having jointly delivered 123 Jackal 3 vehicles to the British Army in a programme that concluded earlier in July.
Excellent news, let’s hope the MoD sees sense and chooses them.
Fingers crossed, a practical sovereign capability.
The brain says Land Cruiser, the heart says Grenadier.
The Grenadier looks cooler, which as we all know and agree, is the most important thing in military matters