Light Tactical Armoured Vehicle: Second attempt.

[Goldie fish]

Now that you mention it, I decided to have a look at the EDA website..

Short description of the contract
Requirement to source a fleet of Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles (LTAV) that will fulfill a number of distinct roles. The procurement of the LTAV's will be carried out in three phases with the 2nd and 3rd phase optional from the Department's perspective.
AWARD OF THE CONTRACT
Date of Contract Award 11/12/2008
Name and address (including country) of awarded contractors Country Contractor SME?
ZA BAE Systems Land Systems OMC, 12 Barnsley Road, Private Bag X049 Benoni,1500 Gauteng, South Africa

http://www.eda.europa.eu/ebbweb/Default.aspx

So YAY!

[Orion]

Now that you mention it, I decided to have a look at the EDA website..

http://www.eda.europa.eu/ebbweb/Default.aspx

So YAY!

[Fireplace]

Land Systems OMC is offering the RG32M LTV because the Irish are seeking a patrol vehicle – something smaller and lighter than the company's highly successful RG31 family, manufacture of which now totals in the thousands, and which has now reached its Mk 6 version. Although sold in much smaller numbers than the RG31, the RG32 family has also been a success story, with more than 420 sold to several customers around the world, including the Finnish Army, the Swedish Army and the UN.

All RG32Ms are 4 × 4 vehicles. The RG32M LTV provides improved mine protection in comparison with the basic RG32M, ensuring greater blast survivability and thus delivering improved crew safety. It has a V-shaped hull that protects its crew from armour-piercing rifle fire as well as antitank mine blasts.

The original RG32M was designed as a general purpose mine-hardened vehicle, with integrated ballistic protection, for patrol, reconnaissance, convoy support, and liaison duties. In comparison, the RG32M LTV is a fully fledged light armoured vehicle, yet retains the full mobility, agility and ground clearance of its predecessor, and has a gross vehicle mass of only 9 t. The new version has a 200 mm wider hull, and 50 mm greater head room, giving greater internal space for the crew.

The windows are mounted externally, which both makes more space available inside and increases side-blast protection. The RG32M LTV also enjoys an increased payload of 2 t, and a new design load bay, capable of taking a variety of mission-specific equipment, increasing the vehicle's versatility. Mission-specific communications and weapons systems can also be easily fitted.

The vehicle can easily be reconfigured, if required. It can operate in most climates and environmental conditions. The design makes extensive use of commercial off-the-shelf components, making maintenance and logistic support simple, straightforward, and economical.

A lot closer to the smaller RG-31 than the original RG-32.

[B Inman]

17 December 2008

THE Swedish army has ordered 60 more RG32M mine-hardened patrol vehicles from BAE Systems Land Systems SA — over and above the 200 bought between 2005 and last year .

The RG32M is a four-wheel drive light armoured vehicle with a crew of five to seven and a basic combat weight of about 7300 kg.

The order has given a shot in the arm to SA’s arms industry, which has been struggling to secure foreign orders because of developed countries’ reluctance to buy outside their regions or from entities that are not their strategic partners .

Land Systems SA spokeswoman Natasha Pheiffer said the contract value for this follow-on order was about € 18m.

Land Systems SA delivered the 200th RG32M to Sweden’s defence procurement agency, Försvarets Materielverk , earlier this year, she said.

Critics have argued that the Swedes were buying a modified version of the South African RG32 mine-hardened patrol vehicle because SA bought their Gripen fighter planes during the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal, and not out of respect for SA’s experience in designing good mine-resistant vehicles.

However, the Swedish defence forces considered the US’s Humvee and the South African vehicle and said they found the US vehicle too small inside, and lacking real differentials to give the cross-country performance it required.

They then opted for SA’s RG32M, with modifications that included changes to axles, wheels and tyres, bonnet and louvres, steering wheel and instrument panel. The vehicle was also given “winterisation" for Sweden’s –35°C temperature extremes.

Pheiffer said the initial contract for 102 vehicles was received in 2005 and there was a follow-on contract for another 98 vehicles received last year .

“An upgrade and test cycle will follow in the coming months for the latest order, and delivery will start in February 2010,” she said.

The United Nations purchased 75 of the RG32M vehicles to be use in Kosovo, with a further 20 for service elsewhere. The vehicle has seen service in Malawi, Mozambique, Georgia, Israel, the Lebanon, Tajikistan and Burundi — where it gained high reputation and glowing testimonies.

The manufacturer has described the RG32M as offering the “stealth attributes” associated with a compact design combined with anti-tank mine protection. It can climb up hills with a 60 degree slope.

Despite the US armed forces’ reluctance to buy their defence equipment from foreign countries, they have bought 148 of the RG32M’s larger cousin — the RG31 — after the vehicle’s performance in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The all-steel, welded armour, monocoque hull protects the crew against small arms fire, grenades, anti-personnel mines and land mine detonations under any wheel. The engine and other key components are also protected against small arms fire and shrapnel.

http://www.businessday.co.za/article...?ID=BD4A906340

[California Tanker]

Here is a link to the Panther murkiness.

Not an entirely perceptive article, I fear. I had a gander inside the Panther at ATDU a few months after that article was written, and the sheer gucciness of the inside isn't really demonstrated by the external appearance. When they say 'Command vehicle', they mean 'command vehicle', not '4x4 with an extra radio or two.' It was a purpose-designed mobile command vehicle, with proper, usable command stations with all sorts of expnsive electronic gizmos. Given the price of a simple M1114 (Produced in the numbers it's bought in), a half-million per really doesn't seem all that horrendous to me for Panther, and should not be compared with the cost of the APC versions of the RG31 that the US bought.

NTM

[DeV]

http://www.baesystemspresskit.com/ausa/userfiles/file/Single%20PDFs/RG32M_4pp_brochure_v1.pdf

[gvg]

30 January 2009

Now Irish Army orders 27 SA-designed armoured vehicles

South African armoured and mine protected vehicle manufacturer BAE Systems Land Systems OMC has won the Irish Army's Light Tactical Armoured Vehicle (LTAV) contest, securing an order for 27 RG32M LTVs. According to Irish reports, the contract is worth €19,6-million, and includes options for a further 27 vehicles (the contract value probably includes these options). Deliveries will start this year and take place over a three year period.

This deal follows on the heels of a third order from Sweden for the RG32M. The latest Swedish contract, announced last month (December) is for 60 vehicles and is worth some €18-million. It follows two previous orders for RG32Ms, the first - placed in 2005 - for 102 vehicles, and the second, placed in 2007, for another 98. The 200th and last vehicle acquired under these first and second contracts was delivered last year, and the first vehicle from the new contract will be delivered in February 2010. The RG32Ms of this third batch will be upgraded in various ways (the details are confidential) and the delivery of the production vehicles will be preceded by an upgrade and test cycle during this year.

Regarding the Irish order, the RG32M LTV was chosen after two months of intensive field trials, beating two European competitors - the Mowag Eagle IV from Switzerland, and the Iveco MLV from Italy. The Irish are adopting an LTAV, as they call this type of vehicle, specifically to participate in peacekeeping missions abroad, on behalf of the UN or EU - Ireland currently has an infantry battalion serving with the EU force in Chad.

In Irish service, the RG32M LTV will be employed in various roles, including surveillance, communications, target acquisition, and transporting US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles. The Irish vehicles will be armed either with 12,7 mm heavy machine guns or 40 mm automatic grenade launchers.

The RG32M LTV is the latest version of the RG32M, LTV standing for Light Tactical Vehicle. It has improved mine protection in comparison with previous models, providing greater blast survivability and crew protection.

The RG32M LTV is classified as a light armoured vehicle, in the light mine protected patrol vehicle category, and has a gross vehicle mass of only 9 t. Its armour can protect its crew from armour-piercing rifle fire as well as anti-tank land mine blasts, with its externally mounted windows providing improved side-blast protection. It has a 200 mm wider hull and 50 mm greater head space in comparison to earlier RG32Ms. The LTV version also has an increased, 2 t, payload and a new design of load bay which can take a wide variety of mission-specific equipment, making it more versatile. Despite its better protection and greater internal space, it has lost none of the ground clearance, agility, or mobility of the earlier versions.

The RG32M family makes extensive use of commercial-off-the-shelf components, reducing maintenace costs and minimising logistical burdens. These latest contracts take the total number of RG32Ms, of all models, built or on order, to more than 500. All have been, and will be, manufactured at the company's plant in Benoni, east of Johannesburg.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/now-irish-army-orders-27-sadesigned-armoured-vehicles-2009-01-30

[Goldie fish]

Defence Forces Equipment.

129. Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Defence if it is intended to proceed with the acquisition of new light tactical armoured vehicles for the Defence Forces; when these are expected to be acquired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3507/09]

Minister for Defence (Deputy Willie O’Dea): A contract for the supply of twenty- seven (27) Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles to the Defence Forces was awarded to BAE Systems based in South Africa in December 2008. The contract followed from a detailed tender competition, which was initiated in May 2008, and which concluded in November 2008.

The intention is that the LTAV will complement the Mowag Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in the conduct of conventional and Peace Support Operations and will fill a gap that exists between soft-skinned vehicles and the Mowag APCs.

The contract for the supply of the 27 RG32M vehicles will run over a period of three years and has a value of €19.6m, inclusive of VAT. The cost of the programme will be covered over a number of years from the Defence budget, taking into account the current economic conditions. Deliveries of the vehicles will be sixteen in 2009 and eleven in 2010.

The acquisition of the Light Tactical Vehicles is a top priority for the Defence Forces, given the extensive nature of their roles on overseas Peace Support Missions, the threat from improvised explosive devices and the potential for hostile fire in certain threat environments. Force protection remains a key issue in overseas peace support operations and it is very important that vehicles such as these are available to our personnel.

The purchase of the vehicles is in line with the commitment given in the Programme for Government to continue investment in modern equipment for Defence Forces personnel and the obligations of the State to provide appropriate support and force protection assets to deployed personnel.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20090204.xml&Node=H15&Page=23

[Herald]

Thats good news anyway.

[Goldie fish]

Defence Forces Equipment.

88. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Defence when he expects the delivery of the first of the 60 new light tactical armoured vehicles, 16 of which are to be delivered in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9777/09]

Minister for Defence (Deputy Willie O’Dea): A contract for the supply of twenty- seven (27) Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles to the Defence Forces was awarded to BAE Systems based in South Africa in December 2008. The contract followed from a detailed tender competition, which was initiated in May 2008, and which concluded in November 2008.

The tender competition has allowed for the option to acquire up to another twenty-seven vehicles over the next few years to meet any further requirements, depending on the threat faced by the Defence Forces in operational deployments.

The intention is that the LTAV will complement the Mowag Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in the conduct of conventional and Peace Support Operations and will fill a gap that exists between soft-skinned vehicles and the Mowag APCs.

The contract for the supply of the 27 RG32M vehicles will run over a period of three years and has a value of €19.6m, inclusive of VAT. The cost of the programme will be covered over a number of years from the Defence budget, taking into account the current economic conditions. Deliveries of the vehicles will be sixteen in 2009 and eleven in 2010. It is expected the first vehicle to be delivered will be in the last quarter of 2009 with the remaining fifteen following before year end.

The acquisition of the Light Tactical Vehicles is a top priority for the Defence Forces, given the extensive nature of their roles on overseas Peace Support Missions, the threat from improvised explosive devices and the potential for hostile fire in certain threat environments. Force protection remains a key issue in overseas peace support operations and it is very important that vehicles such as these are available to our personnel.

The purchase of the vehicles is in line with the commitment given in the Programme for Government to continue investment in modern equipment for Defence Forces personnel and the obligations of the State to provide appropriate support and force protection assets to deployed personnel.

[DeV]

When the first batch of MOWAGs was ordered they got 40 for €40 million?!

[paul g]

Thats ten years ago

[ias]

It was actually 40 piranhas for IrP40m, that's approx. €55m.

What surprises me is that the cost of the RG-32, at €726K, it seems very high compared to quoted prices for the Swedish variant. Apparently the version we are getting is a more capable vehicle but still quite expensive, I read on a South African site that they speculated the €19.6m was for the total of 54 vehicles.

[DeV]

Cadre told me last night that when the UN takes over the Chad mission the way it works is the UN will purchase all the contingent equipment (at the grand new out of the factory price), and it becomes UN property. That is some amount of cash for Willie!!!! I should have asked what happens when the mission is over!

[Steamy Window]

Cadre told me last night that when the UN takes over the Chad mission the way it works is the UN will purchase all the contingent equipment (at the grand new out of the factory price), and it becomes UN property. That is some amount of cash for Willie!!!! I should have asked what happens when the mission is over!

Can't see DoD holding on to that cash, somehow