Friday, August 24, 2012

DTN News - U.K. DEFENSE NEWS: U.K. Ministry of Defense Ordered 25 Foxhound Vehicles To Add To the Army's Existing Fleet

DTN News - U.K. DEFENSE NEWS: U.K. Ministry of Defense Ordered 25 Foxhound Vehicles To Add To the Army's Existing Fleet
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources U.K. MoD
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 24, 2012: The Ministry of Defence has announced plans to procure 25 extra Foxhound vehicles to add to the Army's existing fleet.

The MOD made an initial order for 200 Foxhound vehicles in November 2010 and a further 100 were requested late last year as part of a £400m package. The latest 25 will be in addition to this at a cost of £30m.

Foxhound, the Army's state-of-the-art light protected patrol vehicle, arrived in Helmand province in June of this year.

The Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, made the procurement announcement today at an event at the Army's Bulford Camp showcasing the capabilities of Service personnel from 4th Mechanized Brigade who are preparing to deploy on Operation HERRICK 17.

Mr Luff said:

"I was very pleased to be able to confirm the purchase of 25 additional new Foxhound vehicles.

"Foxhound's cutting-edge technology gives our troops the ability to engage with Afghan civilians, as they must, whilst benefiting from a high level of protection. Personnel from 4th Mechanized Brigade will be amongst the first to use this outstanding new vehicle.

"This is another example of how the MOD, having balanced the budget, is now able to confidently spend money on the equipment that our personnel really need."

Personnel from 4th Mechanized Brigade will be amongst the first to make use of the new Foxhound vehicle on operations. For its size and weight, Foxhound provides unprecedented levels of blast protection against the threats faced by troops on the front line.

Robust enough to withstand the blast from an IED, it has a top speed of 70mph (113km/h). The engine can also be removed and replaced in just 30 minutes and it can drive away from an ambush on only three wheels.

4th Mechanized Brigade will deploy to Afghanistan in October for a six-month tour as the lead formation of Task Force Helmand. Due to the significant progress in the development of the Afghan National Security Forces it will be the first brigade to oversee a drawdown of British troops from Helmand province, with the UK's military commitment there due to be cut by 500 by the end of the year.

The showcase at Bulford has enabled members of the Task Force to show off their skills, from marksmanship and search dog handling, through to the challenges of having to cook for thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen and women on a daily basis.

Brigadier Bob Bruce, Commander of 4th Mechanized Brigade, said:

"Today has enabled many of the men and women who will deploy on HERRICK 17 to showcase not only the high quality equipment with which they will deploy but also the result of the extensive pre-deployment training that they have conducted.

"4th Mechanized Brigade previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, but a lot has changed since then. Now we are well down the path of transition - the handover of security responsibilities to our Afghan colleagues - and our strategic outlook is very different to what it was two years ago.

"Notably, we will be the first Task Force to see our numbers reduce during the course of our tour, a big challenge but one we will embrace.

"We are an experienced and well-balanced Task Force; while based on a regular Army formation we also have a number of regular Royal Navy and RAF Service personnel in our ranks, as well as a number of reservists who have readily volunteered their time to accompany us to the front line."

The tour will see 'The Black Rats', as 4th Mechanized Brigade is also known, working in support of the Afghan National Army's 3/215 Brigade and the Afghan National Police in their mission to bring security and stability to a region that has known years of unrest but has seen steady progress thanks to the efforts of Afghan, British and other international forces.

Approximately 10 per cent of the personnel who deploy on Op HERRICK 17 will be reservists, including elements of 6th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, 103 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, 243 (Wessex) Field Hospital and 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery.

Mr Luff added:

"I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet some of the members of 4th Mechanized Brigade who will deploy to Afghanistan in the autumn and will face an entirely new challenge.

"They continue the work of their predecessor brigades and also oversee the beginning of our drawdown as Afghanistan looks ahead to a future with its own Armed Forces taking the security lead."

4th Mechanized Brigade will replace 12th Mechanized Brigade when they deploy on Op HERRICK 17 in October 2012.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources U.K. MoD
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - OSHKOSH DEFENSE NEWS: Oshkosh Defense Receives EMD Contract To Develop JLTV - The Future of Light Tactical Vehicles

DTN News - OSHKOSH DEFENSE NEWS:  Oshkosh Defense Receives EMD Contract To Develop JLTV - The Future of Light Tactical Vehicles
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Oshkosh Defense
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 23, 2012: The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), a contract for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program’s Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase.  The JLTV program aims to replace many of the U.S. military’s aged HMMWVs with a lightweight vehicle that offers greater protection, mobility and transportability.

“The JLTV program is critical to supporting our troops who stand in harm’s way and deserve the best equipment that industry can provide,” said John Urias, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Oshkosh Defense.  “The Oshkosh JLTV solution will allow the Army and Marine Corps to provide unprecedented levels of protection and off-road mobility in a light vehicle – so that their troops can accomplish their missions and return home safely.”

JLTV is managed by the Joint U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps program, under the leadership of the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS).  Under the contract, Oshkosh will deliver 22 Oshkosh-designed and manufactured JLTV prototypes within 365 days of contract award, and support government testing and evaluation of the prototypes. 

Since 2006, Oshkosh has invested significantly in independent R&D to develop its JLTV solution.  Oshkosh employed a generational product development approach that aligned to rapidly evolving technical requirements.  As a result, the Oshkosh JLTV delivers the latest automotive technologies, an advanced crew protection system, and a next generation TAK-4i™ independent suspension system to achieve JLTV performance at an affordable price.  The Oshkosh JLTV is fully tested, ready for initial production, and meets or exceeds the requirements of the JLTV program.

“The Oshkosh JLTV solution was designed with a purpose – to keep Warfighters safe on future battlefields with unpredictable terrain, tactics, and threats,” said John Bryant, vice president and general manager of Joint and Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense.  “Oshkosh has a 90-year history of delivering high quality military vehicle programs on-time and on-budget, and our JLTV program is no exception.  We understand how critical this light, protected, off-road vehicle will be to Warfighters.” 

The Oshkosh JLTV solution, called the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle, or L-ATV, offers an advanced crew protection system that has been extensively tested and is proven to optimize crew survivability.  The L-ATV can accept multiple armor configurations, which allows the vehicle to adapt easily to changing operational requirements. The L-ATV also applies the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent-suspension system to provide significantly faster speeds when operating off-road, which can be critical to troops’ safety. 

Oshkosh Defense has an unwavering commitment to the men and women who serve our nation.  Notably, Oshkosh was awarded the M-ATV contract in June 2009 on an urgent needs basis.  Oshkosh ramped up production at a historical pace – delivering 1,000 vehicles per month within six months.  Oshkosh delivered more than 8,700 M-ATVs, most of which were deployed in Afghanistan and are credited for saving thousands of troops’ lives. 

“Oshkosh’s M-ATV is the only vehicle in the combat theater in Afghanistan performing the JLTV’s mission profile,” said Bryant. “We delivered more than 8,700 M-ATV’s on-time and on-budget, and Oshkosh will bring the same level of commitment to the JLTV program.”

More information about the Oshkosh JLTV solution is available at http://www.oshkoshdefense.com/jltv.

About Oshkosh Defense

Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical and protected military vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit www.oshkoshdefense.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corporation manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Jerr-Dan®, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, visit www.oshkoshcorporation.com.

®, TM All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the cyclical nature of the Company’s access equipment, commercial and fire & emergency markets, especially in the current environment where there are conflicting signs regarding the future global economic outlook; the expected level and timing of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) procurement of products and services and funding thereof; risks related to reductions in government expenditures in light of U.S. defense budget pressures and an uncertain DoD tactical wheeled vehicle strategy; risks that profit on the definitization of contracts with the DoD could differ from the Company’s estimates; increasing commodity and other raw material costs, particularly in a sustained economic recovery; the ability to increase prices to raise margins or offset higher input costs; risks related to the Company’s exit from its ambulance and European mobile medical businesses, including the amounts of related costs and charges; risks related to facilities consolidation and alignment, including the amounts of related costs and charges and that anticipated cost savings may not be achieved; the Company’s ability to produce vehicles under the FMTV contract at targeted margins; the duration of the ongoing global economic weakness, which could lead to additional impairment charges related to many of the Company’s intangible assets and/or a slower recovery in the Company’s cyclical businesses than Company or equity market expectations; the potential for the U.S. government to competitively bid the Company’s Army and Marine Corps contracts; the consequences of financial leverage, which could limit the Company’s ability to pursue various opportunities; risks related to the collectability of receivables, particularly for those businesses with exposure to construction markets; the cost of any warranty campaigns related to the Company’s products; risks related to production or shipment delays arising from quality or production issues; risks associated with international operations and sales, including foreign currency fluctuations and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; risks related to actions of activist shareholders; and the Company’s ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this press release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Company’s next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Oshkosh Defense
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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