Coventry company wins £63m Army vehicle support contract

Published by

Nicky Godding

The MOD has awarded a contract worth more than £60m to British industry to maintain the Army’s cutting-edge fleet of armoured vehicles.

These vehicles offer soldiers, medics and other Army personnel protection from mine and ballistic threats as they navigate rough terrains on the battlefield.

NP Aerospace, formerly part of Morgan Advanced Materials, has secured the £63m contract for the upkeep, update and upgrade of more than 2,200 protected mobility vehicles based in the UK and on operations.

The contract will support approximately 100 jobs in Coventry and 250 jobs across the UK supply chain until 2024. A further 50 jobs will be created at NP Aerospace’s HQ in Foleshill.

Defence Minister Stuart Andrew said: "Armoured vehicles save lives on the battlefield and this contract will ensure they are repaired, upgraded and returned to the frontline as quickly as possible. This vital contract demonstrates how the MOD benefits every region of the UK by providing hundreds of skilled jobs and multi-million-pound investment to the West Midlands."

As an example, under this contract, a request could be made by Army personnel in Afghanistan to fit a new loudspeaker to a Foxhound patrol vehicle. NP Aerospace will rapidly design, procure and fit the equipment, as well as providing technical advice throughout the contract period.

Other protected mobility vehicles to benefit from the contract include Mastiff, Wolfhound, Ridgeback, RODET, Jackal, Coyote and Husky vehicles, all of which are currently being used by the British Army for either training or operations in the UK and overseas.

Director Land Equipment for DE&S Major General Colin McClean said: "The Protected Mobility fleet has been hugely important for defence over the last 15 years, saving numerous lives on operations. It is vital that we continue to invest in our battle-winning capabilities, ensuring that they are always ready for training or operational purposes.

"Given its significant role now and in the future, I am pleased we are partnering with NP Aerospace to deliver this contract”.

The MOD invested £622m with industry in the West Midlands in 2017/18, sustaining 4900 jobs across the region.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.