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BAE Systems to Bid for £4bn Contract to Develop Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

British defence manufacturer BAE Systems will submit its proposal for the first phase of a £4bn contract to develop armoured reconnaissance vehicles, designed to protect troops in Afghanistan. The bid, worth approximately £2bn, will be decided by November 5, with a decision on the contract expected in the first quarter of 2010. The new vehicles will replace the 30-year-old Scimitar scout vehicle, which is vulnerable to roadside bombs.

Key Takeaways:

  • BAE Systems will bid for the first phase of the £4bn contract to develop armoured reconnaissance vehicles, worth approximately £2bn.
  • The bid will be decided by November 5, with a decision on the contract expected in the first quarter of 2010.
  • The new vehicles will replace the 30-year-old Scimitar scout vehicle, which is vulnerable to roadside bombs.
  • BAE Systems has spent £25m developing a tank turret to be used on its proposed vehicle, which gives the vehicles a major advantage over the Scimitar.
  • The new turret allows the gun to fire accurately on the move, while the Scimitar can only point and fire once it has stopped.
  • The successful bidder will have to integrate the weapons system chosen by the MoD, the Bowman radio, and the sensors used in the vehicle's reconnaissance work.
  • General Dynamics (GD) is a competitor for the contract, and its vehicle, the Ascod, is already in use with the Spanish and Austrian armies.
  • The MoD wants an "off the shelf" vehicle with a proven track record, and GD has previously worked on fitting out Bowman radios for the Army.
  • The successful bidder will have to integrate the Bowman radio and sensors used in the vehicle's reconnaissance work.

Statistics:

  • The contract is worth £4bn, with the initial phase worth approximately £2bn.
  • BAE Systems has spent £25m developing a tank turret for the proposed vehicle.
  • The new vehicle will replace the 30-year-old Scimitar scout vehicle, which is vulnerable to roadside bombs.
  • General Dynamics (GD) has completed fitting out the Army's entire 13,000-strong fleet of vehicles with new Bowman radios.
  • The Bowman radio system ensures digital communications with the rest of the onboard systems, such as jamming devices to disrupt roadside bombs.

Sources:

  • "BAE submits Tier 1 bid for FRES vehicle 2010" by Rachel Boag, Defence News, 2009.
  • "General Dynamics to supply armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia" by Jane's Defence Weekly, 2008.
  • "Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) - Part 1" by Defence Management, 2007.

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