The UK Ministry of Defense has awarded General Dynamics UK a £3.5 billion contract to deliver 589 SCOUT Specialist Vehicle (SV) platforms to the British Army, according to a General Dynamics release.
Six different variants of the SCOUT SV armored fighting vehicle (AFV) are to be delivered to the British Army between 2017 and 2024, along with initial in-service support and training, and will provide the core of the armored infantry brigade structure within the UK MOD’s Army 2020 scheme.
“We are delighted that the UK MOD has awarded us this important contract,” said Kevin Connell, vice president General Dynamics UK – Land Systems. “SCOUT SV provides essential capability to the British Army to allow it to dominate the battle space for years to come, and it secures thousands of jobs right across the UK for at least the next decade. General Dynamics UK and our partners have worked hard over the last four years to develop a world-leading vehicle, and we will maintain that same work ethic to deliver 589 SCOUT SV platforms to the British Army on-time and on-budget.”
The SCOUT SV armored fighting vehicle will be procured in six variants by the UK MOD. General Dynamics image
Six different variants of the SCOUT SV armored fighting vehicle (AFV) are to be delivered to the British Army between 2017 and 2024, along with initial in-service support and training, and will provide the core of the armored infantry brigade structure within the UK MOD’s Army 2020 scheme.
The SCOUT SV tracked, medium-weight armored fighting vehicle is based on the proven ASCOD (Austrian-Spanish Cooperative Development) family of AFVs, and won out over another military off the shelf vehicle, the BAE Systems CV-90 armored fighting vehicle.
“Today’s multi-billion pound contract is fantastic news for our soldiers in providing them with the most technologically advanced and versatile AFVs to overcome future threats,” said Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon. “This is the biggest single order placed by the MOD for armored vehicles for around 30 years and is an important part of the investment we are making to keep Britain safe. It is also excellent news for the supply chain of this state-of-the-art vehicle and will sustain 1,300 engineering jobs across the UK in key defense industries.”
SCOUT SV Repair variant. General Dynamics image
The SCOUT SV tracked, medium-weight armored fighting vehicle is based on the proven ASCOD (Austrian-Spanish Cooperative Development) family of AFVs, and won out over another military off the shelf vehicle, the BAE Systems CV-90 armored fighting vehicle.
The six SCOUT SV variants include:
- Scout Reconnaissance;
- Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS);
- Command and Control;
- Engineering Reconnaissance;
- Repair, and;
- Recovery
Each SCOUT SV variant will provide British troops with state-of-the-art best-in-class protection, according to General Dynamics, and will be equipped with all-weather intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and recognition (ISTAR) capabilities, acoustic detectors, laser warning systems, local situational awareness systems, electronic countermeasures, a route marking system, an advanced electronic architecture for full-spectrum network-enabled operations and a high performance power pack.
SCOUT SV Command and Control variant. General Dynamics image
“I’m delighted that on the eve of the NATO Summit, we can announce the biggest single contract for AFVs for the British Army since the 1980s,” said Prime Minister David Cameron. “These new vehicles are testament to the world class engineering skills in South Wales and across the UK, helping to create the Army’s first fully digitalized armored vehicles. Not only will they be crucial in helping to keep Britain safe, they will also underpin nearly 1,300 jobs across the UK and showcase the strength of the UK’s highly skilled defense sector. With the second largest defense budget in NATO, meeting NATO’s two per cent of GDP spending target and investing in new capabilities to deal with the emerging threats we are ensuring Britain’s national security, staying at the forefront of the global race and providing leadership within NATO.”