ARMY TERRIER CLEARS THE GROUND

17 Jul 2002 04:40 PM

The Royal Engineers are to get a new armoured vehicle to clear a path though hostile ground for British soldiers taking part in dangerous operations, Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram announced today.

Leicester-based Royal Ordnance plc will shortly be awarded a contract worth almost £350 million to develop and build Terrier, the British Army's new battlefield engineer vehicle, which is operated by a crew of two Royal Engineers.

Royal Ordnance plc estimate that the contract should create or sustain more than 500 jobs across the UK, of which almost 250 are in the Midlands; 50 in Scotland; 36 in the South East; and 30 in the South West. The company believe that Terrier also has considerable export potential.

Mr Ingram said:

"Terrier will be an extremely useful vehicle for the Royal Engineers. Sixty five vehicles will be ordered, with the first 20 entering service in 2008. The new vehicle will be particular useful on peacekeeping operations, where our forces may have to cross routes that have been barricaded or sabotaged. Terrier will quickly and safely clear paths through hostile and dangerous terrain."

"Where the ground is particularly dangerous its remote-control unmanned facility means that operator's lives are not being put at risk."

Terrier replaces the ageing Combat Engineer Tractor, which has been in service since the 1970s. The new vehicle is considerably faster, more mobile and has better armour protection for its crew.

Notes to Editors

1. Terrier fills the gap that exists on the battlefield between heavy engineer tanks working on the front line and unarmoured commercial plant working in rear areas. In between these extremes, Terrier will provide an essential capability to clear and mark routes, prepare and clear obstacles, and dig defensive positions in support of operations.

2. Terrier can be carried within C17 or A400M transport aircraft. It has levels of mobility comparable to current in-service armoured fighting vehicles and has considerable mine protection. Its wide range of capabilities will enable the user to deal with widely differing missions, including peacekeeping.

3. Royal Ordnance plc has teamed with ALVIS, who will manufacture hulls and assemble the vehicles. Other major UK sub-contractors involved in production include Shrewsbury-based Caterpillar Defence Products, who will provide power packs, Bath-based Horstman Defence, who will provide suspension running gear and Unipart in Oxford who will provide logistic backup.

4. Approximately 90% by value of Terrier will be sourced in the UK. In order to achieve a highly capable, reliable and affordable vehicle a high proportion of proven Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) equipment will be utilised in the design. The engine, gearbox, bucket, excavator arm, winch and suspension will all be COTS equipment

5. The Mobility Integrated Project Team, led by Roger Colebrook, at the Defence Procurement Agency headquarters in Bristol, manages the Terrier programme.

6. The MoD Website can be found at www.mod.uk. It provides a link to our on-line news service, UK Defence today, which can also be accessed directly at news.mod.uk. DPA press notices can also be found at www.dpa.mod.uk.

7. Images of Terrier are available from DPA Press Office, please contact Brian Sheehan on 0117 913 0637 or Robert Campbell on 0117 9130385.

8. For further information please contact Brian Sheehan, DPA Press Office on 0117 91 30637 Mobile 07796 491745 or Peter Haslam, MoD Press Office on 0207 2187950.

TERRIER - KEY FACTS

Terrier is being acquired to replace the Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) which has been in service since the 1970s. Terrier will clear and mark routes, prepare and clear obstacles, and dig vehicle slots in support of operations for troops operating in the indirect fire zone of the battlefield. Terrier will also support peace-support and humanitarian task, an areas where the CET has been invaluable.

- 65 vehicles on order
- Contract placed with BAE Systems (Royal Ordnance Defence) based in Leicester
- Contract worth approximately £350 million
- 500 jobs created or sustained across the UK
- Enters service in 2008 and remain in service for up to 30 years - Operated by Royal Engineers
- Weighs 30 tonnes
- Can be carried by a C17 or A400m
- Two Royal Engineer crew in normal operations
- Remote control operation for hazardous operations
- Armoured and protected again mines
- Fitted with a 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) - Faster, better protected, more mobile and much more capable than its predecessor, the Combat Engineer Tractor
- Fitted with cameras to allow day and night operation

LOCATION OF WORK AND ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS SUSTAINED WITHIN THE UK (AT MAJOR SUB-CONTRACTOR LEVEL)

(Figures provided by Royal Ordnance plc)

Company Type of Work Numbers of Jobs Location

Midlands
BAES Royal
Ordnance plc Development 125 Leicester

ALVIS Hull Fabrication and 100 Telford Assembly

Caterpillar Power pack and Drive 24 Shrewsbury Systems

Total: Midlands: 249

Scotland

Thales Sights 30 Glasgow

Kongsberg Simrad Camera Systems 20 Aberdeen/Wick

Total: Scotland : 50

South East

FR-Hi Temp Power management 15 Fareham, Hants system

Kidde Graviner Fire Suppression System 10 Slough

Ulrich Attachments Engineering equipment 8 Aylesbury

QinetiQ Consultancy 3 Chertsey

Total: South: 36

South West

Horstman Suspension and Running Gear 30 Bath

Total: South West: 30

Eastern

Mannesman Rexroth Hydraulic System 3 St Neots

Total: Eastern: 3

Elsewhere/Other subcontractors
Subcontractors with whom negotiations still ongoing (estimated jobs) 137

Total Jobs: 505