UK MoD awards contract to demonstrate electric-drive Foxhound and Jackal Vehicles

By Nicky Godding

20 August 2020

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A Foxhound vehicle (left/front) followed by a Huskey (Centre) and a Man SV vehicle (Right/Rear) during a rolling resupply during Exercise Wessex Storm Pictured: The Welsh Guards Battlegroup conducting a rolling resupply on Exercise Wessex Storm The aim of the exercise is to prepare the Welsh Guards Battle Group for any future operations on a collective basis. However, this event is unique because it represents the first time in living memory that the battlegroup will comprise three Welsh regiments: the infantry will be formed from 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, augmented by 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh (Wales’ only Reserve infantry battalion), with reconnaissance provided by 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards. (more background on these units below). Additionally, the battlegroup will also be supported by troops from 104 Regiment Royal Artillery, who are based at Raglan Barracks, Newport. NOTE TO DESKS: Photographer: Corporal James McAllister (RLC) Phot MoD release authorised handout images. All images remain crown copyright. Photo credit to read - Corporal James McAllister (RLC)

Coventry-based NP Aerospace, a world leader in advanced low weight, high performance armour systems, has been awarded a £3 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to demonstrate hybrid electric-drive systems on Foxhound and Jackal vehicles, with the project being delivered in collaboration with General Dynamics Land Systems UK, Supacat and Magtec.

The contract award is part of the Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support (PMETS) programme which is being led by NP Aerospace as the Engineering Authority for the vehicle fleet. General Dynamics Land Systems–UK and Supacat are the partner vehicle OEMs, and Magtec is the electric drive and battery technology partner.

Developed by Magtec in the UK, the hybrid electric e-drive solution for Foxhound and Jackal is intended to deliver multiple technical and operational enhancements, including silent mobility, off-board electrical power and increased onboard power for the insertion of the latest technologies.

Foxhound Vehicle in Afghanistan — A Foxhound Light Protected Patrol Vehicle on operations in Afghanistan.

This is the first time that this type of technology system has been applied to vehicles covered under the PMETS (Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support) programme. The production of demonstrator vehicles will enable the MoD to analyse the operational impact of new technical capabilities.

David Petheram, Chief Operating Officer, NP Aerospace, said: “The PMETS programme delivers safety, efficiency and innovation activities across a variety of vehicle platforms, via a collaborative approach. The hybrid electric drive project is a significant development that will further extend the technical capabilities of the vehicles and is an important advancement in the incorporation of new technology. It will provide a greater understanding of what hybrid technology could achieve, whilst also looking to the future in terms of integrating additional sophisticated electronics across the PMETS vehicle fleet.”

Carew Wilks, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Land Systems–UK, said: “As technology develops to meet the future operating needs of the British Army, the demand for onboard power only increases, and electrification of land vehicles offers an innovative solution. Foxhound, the British Army light infantry vehicle of choice, already has an architecture that enables electrification and is a natural choice for this demonstrator. We look forward to demonstrating our e-drive Foxhound in the coming months.”

LIGHT DRAGOONS TRAIN WITH US 2ND CAVALRY IN GERMANY BEFORE DEPLOYING TO POLAND — Jackal 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles and a Panther patrol vehicle drive through wooded area on exercise.

Nick Ames, SC Group-Global CEO, said: Following the work we have done with Exeter University on the All-Terrain Military Platform (ATMP) to give it electric drive and associated control, this piece of work is the natural follow on for us. We have the skills and knowledge to work with our project partners in making the well-respected Jackal vehicle "hybrid drive" and thereby offer enhanced silent watch, stealth operation and improved power export capabilities for soldiers and their equipment. This is a very exciting project and clearly shows the British Army moving towards a non-hydrocarbon future as signalled by Chief of the General Staff at DSEI in 2019. This fits perfectly with our current and future strategy.”

Andrew Gilligan, Managing Director, Magtec, said: “Magtec is a UK leader in the design and manufacture of electric vehicle drive systems and is proud to be supporting the British Army in the development of new technology to protect British troops when they are on the move. Magtec has a strong track record in delivering drive systems for the most demanding applications. We are creating high-quality engineering jobs in the North of England and strengthening the UK’s position at the forefront of the global transport sector.”

By 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.