MoD awards £125m for armoured vehicle tracks

The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £125 million framework contract to Cook Defence Systems (CDS) for the supply of heavy armoured vehicle tracks and associated items.

The deal, announced on 27 June 2025, covers a two-year period with an optional one-year extension.

The contract was issued by the Defence Equipment & Support Land Equipment Vehicle Support Team (VST), based in Telford. CDS, headquartered in Stanhope, is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) for the tracks in question. As such, it holds the technical knowledge necessary to design, support, and maintain the equipment across the UK’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) fleet.

According to the published justification, the award was made without prior publication of a contract notice under regulation 16 of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011. The MoD cited technical necessity and operational risk as the basis for the direct award, explaining that only CDS is able to supply compatible track systems without compromising platform safety or increasing logistical burdens.

The Ministry stated that procuring alternative track components from another supplier would create “a disproportionate cost and significant logistical and technical burden” on front line units. It also warned of potential risks if track types were mixed within the same fleet, including invalidating safety certifications and complicating maintenance and training requirements.

Babcock Land Defence Ltd is acting as the procurement agent on behalf of the MoD for this contract.

Cook Defence Systems is a long-standing supplier of track systems for British Army vehicles and has provided track technology for platforms such as Challenger, Warrior and Ajax. The company is the UK’s only specialist manufacturer of tank tracks and is a key supplier to several NATO nations.