The Ministry of Defence, as noted in a recent Contract Award Notice, plans to award a contract to Salterns Marina Limited, operating as Golden Arrow Marine Limited, for the supply of 196 Lynx Brutal Over Snow Reconnaissance Vehicles (OSRVs).

This contract, including ski-sleds, trailers, and support, is valued at approximately £10 million and will extend over a period of five years.

The Soldier, Training and Special Programmes (STSP) and Specialist and Autonomous Mobility (SAM) Delivery Team of the Ministry of Defence stated, “The contract shall have a duration of 5 years and a value of approximately £10M including VAT.”

This decision aligns with the UK’s strategic interests in operating in extreme climates, particularly in the high north.

The Lynx Brutal, produced by Bombardier Recreation Products Inc. (BRP), has been chosen for its compatibility with the platforms used by the UK’s international partners within the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

“It is essential for security reasons that the UK uses the same platform with the same visual signature.”

The contract’s legal basis is grounded in The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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32 COMMENTS

  1. Bet it took 5 chaps and a considerable amount of meetings to come up with yet another pointless acronym for the MOD glossary.

    Bloody OSRV. That’s like calling my old carrier a OSRWFT (Over Sea Runway With Fly-ee Things).

    Better buy a tin of white paint too.

    -returns to whence I came-

  3. So these would be used in the High North of NATO presumably by the Marines who have been practicing deploying up there for decades.
    Equipping them with a fast over snow Recce Capability makes perfect sense.

    Ah but wait a second, for the Marines to get up there don’t they need Amphibious ships ? Me thinks that perhaps the left hand isn’t talking to the right one.

    • Indeed. I think the LPD saga is the just the latest leak of options by the admiralty, not facts. Happens every few years.
      The High North was listed as a priority area and the Army do not do this arctic stuff to any great degree beyond SF, 29, and a few other bits and pieces.

  4. Rishi to the army ‘hey guys I have solved the shortfall in tanks you all were whinging about, see we take your complaints seriously here at HMG’.

    • these are c. $15k each, not sure how we get to $60k each – surely better to just buy a bigger fleet and use any damaged for spares

      an example of the MOD not thinking how to reduce costs.

      that’s retail price from quick google search. we could buy 120 annually, using previous year as spares /stock if need be

  8. Yes Paceman it does seem the MOD thinks it’s funded by the US with it’s almost endless defence budget, instead of cash strapped old blighty. Nothing in the universe justifies 60 k for a 15k item. They would have to have shields to justify that amount, but of course they are just snow mobiles plain and simple.

    • The explanation must be that the delta is to cover ski sleds, trailers and support (not defined – is that spares or more than that?) for 5 years.

      But Pacman has a point about instead buying more (at the right price) and breaking damaged skidoos for spares instead.

  9. Assume these are for RM operating in the High North – would that be just one RM Cdo unit? Do they need 196 recce vehicles? They must have a huge Recce Troop!

    • Yes, Four Five Commando.
      You could add –
      Elements of 30 Commando, such as the BRS ( which includes the old BR Troop/ and I think the older M&AW Cadre capability as well as the EW SIGINT Troop ) and other arctic trained elements such as some of the CLR and the Army’s 29RA ( 148 battery perhaps with its recc /STA role )

        • They are used for more than just recce. Doing cross country skiing with a full load in the Artic temperatures is not fun. However, just carrying your go-bag etc and putting your bergen in a sled, that is towed by a snow mobile is very doable.

          RM and others use them for hit and run raids. Where a couple are dropped-off by Chinook. Do their thing and RV back with the Chinook. To return to base for tea and medals.

          • I was really commenting on the terminology. They are called ‘Over Snow Reconnaissance Vehicles’. Perhaps they should have been called something else.

          • No worries mate. I do remember watching a snow mobile chew through the sacrificial plywood floor in a Chinook. Then started to see sparks fly. For some reason the track on this particular vehicle had metal studs (for crossing frozen fjords allegedly). Made a right mess and damaged the metal floor of the Chinook. The Loady didn’t look happy!

          • They were called Skidoos when I was a kid, giving them a silly name and an even sillier abbreviation has trebled the price…

  10. Chuffing pricey for a snowmobile. Someone is getting rich very quick. Even though it’s a supported 5 year programme.
    £56k per vehicle. Seriously?
    You can buy an absolutely awesome snowmobile for £10-15k. So where is the value for money? Are these armoured snowmobiles? Hardened against EMP? Stealth coated? Infra Red signature reduced?
    I’m at a loss as to how a snowmobile gets upto a £56K price tag.

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