Posts Tagged ‘Ocelot’

MoD selects ‘Best of British’ patrol vehicle

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

22nd September 2010

Force Protection Europe, a British company based in Leamington Spa, has been selected by the UK MoD to supply an initial order of Ocelot Light Protected Patrol Vehicles.

Designed, developed and built in the UK by Force Protection Europe and Ricardo plc, together with Team Ocelot partners Thales, QinetiQ, Formaplex, DSG and Sula, Ocelot is weight for weight, the best protected and most agile vehicle of its kind. The crew and passengers sit inside a protective pod made of advanced composite materials incorporating Formula 1 racing technology. Beneath them critical components such as the engine, fuel tank and transmission are contained in a V-shaped armoured spine that deflects a blast away from the vehicle. 

Ocelot is highly flexible:  the pods can be changed in the field in two hours to equip the vehicle for different missions, such as patrol, fire support or the transportation of vital supplies. Eye-catchingly manoeuvrable, Ocelot is equally effective in built-up urban areas and mountain passes.

While protecting crew within the vehicle has always been the first priority, Ocelot has also been designed from the outset to be easily repaired and maintained in the austere environment of a forward operating base. The armoured V-shaped hull houses the main fuel tank, drive line, batteries and generator and the powerpack; this means these vital components are all protected from potential blasts. Not only will this design reduce repair times and costs, because the Ocelot does not include sacrificial elements as part of its protection package, but crucially it also enhances the availability of vehicles for operations in-theatre.

Force Protection Europe Ltd’s Managing Director, David Hind, said: ‘This is excellent news for UK servicemen and women, and for the UK defence industry.  Ocelot has been designed and developed in the UK from first principles, with our Team Ocelot partners, to save lives, protect against injury and to optimise maintenance and reparability.  We are very proud that, subject to the outcome of satisfactory contract negotiations, the MoD has recognised the innovation, skill and commitment that has been put into Ocelot’s development and the trust they have placed in Force Protection Europe.  Ocelot meets a global demand for a radically new light protected patrol vehicle. This initial vote of confidence by the UK MoD will send a significant signal to other potential customers.’

Dave Shemmans, CEO of Ricardo plc, said: ‘We are delighted that Force Protection Europe and Team Ocelot have been selected as the preferred bidder for this vitally important UK defence programme. We are also very proud of the key role Ricardo’s automotive design expertise has played in creating this truly exceptional vehicle.’

-Ends-

Force Protection Europe Ltd: Victoria Bailey or Mark Broughton at CMS Strategic on +44 (0)208 748 9797 or info@cmsstrategic.com
Ricardo UK Ltd: Anthony Smith in the Ricardo Media Office on +44 (0)1273 382710 or media@ricardo.com

Background information:
About Team Ocelot: Team Ocelot brings together a number of contractors, specialist and best in class development and manufacturing companies and systems integrators, under the umbrella of Force Protection Europe, as the prime contractor and survivability specialist , to design, develop, manufacture and support the next generation of light protected vehicles for the defence market in the United Kingdom. The design provides the very best levels of protection for troops – comparable with the Cougar family of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles – while also offering exceptional cross country mobility, flexibility and value for money. The vehicles’ unique modular design, protects the occupants and also its critical components from mine and blast threats, and enables rapid mission re-roling. Growth for payload, power management and incremental uplift are designed in from the outset.  The Team consists of, Force Protection Europe, Ricardo Plc, Thales UK, QinetiQ, Formaplex, Sula Systems and the Defence Support Group.

Force Protection Europe Ltd (FPE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Force Protection Industries, Inc. (FPII) - the world’s leading provider of survivability solutions. FPII’s Cougar MPRAP vehicles (in service with the British Army as Mastiff, Ridgback and Wolfhound) are acknowledged globally as providing the highest levels of blast protection. FPE has been established to create a UK leader in the provision and sustainment of survivability solutions based on tactical wheeled vehicles. www.forceprotection.net

Ricardo plc: With technical centres and offices in the UK, USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India and Korea, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and strategic consultant to the world’s transportation sector and clean energy industries. The company’s engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies, as well as wind energy and tidal power systems. Ricardo is committed to excellence and industry leadership in people, technology and knowledge; approximately 70 percent of its employees are highly qualified multi-disciplined professional engineers and technicians. A public company, Ricardo plc posted sales of £178.8 million in financial year 2009 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index - a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.  For more information, visit www.ricardo.com

Force Protection, Inc. Safe Harbor Language
This press release contains forward looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on beliefs and assumptions of Force Protection Inc.’s management, and on information currently available to management. These forward looking statements include, among other things: the growth and demand for Force Protection Inc.’s vehicles, including the Ocelot vehicle; the benefits and suitability of the Ocelot; the rate at which the Company will be able to produce these vehicles; its expected work completion dates for the vehicles and the ability to meet current and future requirements; and the Company’s expected financial and operating results, including its revenues and cash flow, for future periods. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Examples of these factors include, but are not limited to, the ability to effectively manage the risks in the Company’s business; the ability to develop new technologies and products and the acceptance of these technologies and products; the ability to obtain and complete new orders for its vehicles and products; and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Report on Form 10Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.

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Force Protection briefs on Ocelot at IAV

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Visitors to the Force Protection stand (no.420) at the International Armoured Vehicles 2010 exhibition will be able to receive technology briefings on Ocelot, the new light protected patrol vehicle designed, developed and funded by Force Protection and Ricardo plc.

Since the middle of 2009 Ocelot has been put through an extensive series of blast and ballistic testing at Force Protection’s own blast range in the US.  In addition automotive trials have been conducted at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK and the Ricardo facility in Shoreham. This series of tests has demonstrated the effectiveness of Ocelot’s unique ‘skateboard’ armoured spine configuration and pod design in terms of both survivability and mobility.

Ocelot’s highly versatile design enables a range of special-to-role pods to be mounted on the skateboard. The pods, which can be easily changed in the field as the need arises, have been designed for roles such as patrol, fire support or protected logistics. Four wheel steering is common to all configurations and the vehicle can be transported in a C-130 or underslung from a Chinook.

David Hind, Managing Director of Force Protection Europe, said, “The next generation of protected vehicles must meet a range of stringent demands. High levels of survivability and repairability must be combined with manoeuvrability, the flexibility to perform a number of roles, easy maintenance and light weight. Ocelot is equally suited to operations in desert, jungle, mountainous or urban environments. While non-threatening in appearance, it provides levels of protection never before achieved in a vehicle of this size and weight. We firmly believe Ocelot will meet the global need for a new class of light protected patrol vehicle”. 

Force Protection will also be briefing on the Buffalo route clearance vehicle and the Cougar MRAP.  Now in highly successful service with the US Army, Buffalo is the most advanced mine protected clearance vehicle in the world, with a ‘V’ shaped monohull chassis that directs the force of the blast away from the occupants, and with a large articulated arm for ordnance interrogation and disposal. The vehicle can be configured for multiple missions and is specifically designed to be repaired in the field. Renowned for its outstanding survivability performance in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Cougar is in service with a range of militaries, including Canada, Hungary, Italy, Poland, United States and the UK.

For further information or high resolution images of the Ocelot please contact Victoria Bailey or Nick Johnstone at CMS Strategic on +44 (0)20 87489797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About Force Protection, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT)

Force Protection, Inc. is a leading American designer, developer and manufacturer of survivability solutions, predominantly blast- and ballistic-protected wheeled vehicles currently deployed by the U.S. military and its allies to support armed forces and security personnel in conflict zones. The Company’s specialty vehicles, the Cougar, the Buffalo and the Cheetah, are designed specifically for reconnaissance and urban operations and to protect their occupants from landmines, hostile fire, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs, commonly referred to as roadside bombs). The Company also is the developer and manufacturer of ForceArmor™, an armor package providing superior protection against explosively formed projectiles (EFPs), now available for a wide range of tactical-wheeled vehicles. The Company is one of the original developers and primary providers of vehicles for the U.S. military’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicle program. For more information on Force Protection and its vehicles, visit www.forceprotection.net.

About Ricardo, plc

With technical centres and offices in the UK, USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India and Korea, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and strategic consultant to the world’s transportation sector and clean energy industries. The company’s engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell power train technologies, as well as wind energy and tidal power systems. Ricardo is committed to excellence and industry leadership in people, technology and knowledge; approximately 70 per cent of its employees are highly qualified multi-disciplined professional engineers and technicians. A public company, Ricardo plc posted sales of £197.7 million in financial year 2008 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index – a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

Force Protection, Inc. Safe Harbor Language
This press release contains forward looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on beliefs and assumptions of Force Protection’s management, and on information currently available to management. These forward looking statements include, among other things: the growth and demand for Force Protection’s vehicles, including the Buffalo vehicle; the rate at which the Company will be able to produce these vehicles; its expected work completion dates for the vehicles and the ability to meet current and future requirements; and the Company’s expected financial and operating results, including its revenues and cash flow, for future periods. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Examples of these factors include, but are not limited to, the ability to effectively manage the risks in the Company’s business; the ability to develop new technologies and products and the acceptance of these technologies and products; the ability to obtain and complete new orders for its vehicles and products; the Company’s ability to identify and remedy its internal control weaknesses and deficiencies; and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as updated in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2009.

www.forceprotection.net
ENDS

Note to Editors
The International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) exhibition takes place at ExCeL London from 2-3 February 2010

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OCELOT BOUNDS INTO DSEi 2009

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Radical new design for light protected patrol vehicle market unveiled

September 8th 2009: A new solution for light protected patrol vehicles is launched today by Team Ocelot on stand number 2314.
Pace, an impressive turning circle, adaptability, ease of maintenance and protection levels similar to the renowned Force Protection Mastiff are all features of the Ocelot, which has been designed by Force Protection Europe and Ricardo under the Team Ocelot banner.

Measuring 5.3m long by 2.3m high x 2.1m wide, Ocelot comprises a core automotive armoured spine or ‘skateboard’ onto which a number of alternative, special-to-role pods are mounted. Each of the pods can be easily changed in the field as the need arises and have been designed for roles such as patrol, fire support or protected logistics. Four wheel steering is common to all and the vehicle can be transported in a C-130 or underslung from a Chinook.

“By starting with a clean sheet we have been able to create a design that is a complete departure from the usual practice of basing mine resistant vehicles on a standard chassis,” said David Hind, Managing Director of Force Protection Europe.  “We are confident that Ocelot not only meets

today’s blast resistance requirements but those expected in the future.  Ocelot exceeds the required mine protection level set for the UK MoD’s Light Protected Patrol Vehicle, while still meeting the targets for mobility, payload, size and gross vehicle weight.”

The combination of a skateboard and pod has been chosen to give increased survivability against blasts and mines.  The skateboard houses the Steyr 3.2 litre straight six diesel powerpack, propshaft, 6-speed ZF gearbox, AxelTech differentials, fuel tank and all the suspension gear, except a torsion bar which is mounted alongside the hull.  In the event of an attack the vehicle is able to keep moving, even if it has lost a wheel, as the rest of the automotive parts are protected.

In the patrol vehicle version of Ocelot there is seating for two crew and four dismounts.  Access to the vehicle is through large rear doors, two top hatches or, if required, an oversized commander’s door.  The V-shaped hull design means that the running gear does not intrude into the crew area, making movement from front to back easy and reducing the danger of damage to the running gear in the event of an attack.  Bulkheads between vehicle crew and dismounts - and between them and the vehicle electronic equipment - give added protection.

Ease of maintenance has been given high priority, with major assemblies able to be rapidly changed in the field, rather than having to recover the vehicle to a base workshop to carry out repairs.

David Hind said, “The expertise of Ricardo in designing and optimising vehicles and Force Protection’s expertise in survivability solutions has resulted in what we believe will be the premier mine resistant vehicle needed to protect troops in theatres such as Afghanistan.”

Dave Shemmans, CEO of Ricardo plc, added: “We are extremely pleased to have been able to work with Force Protection Europe to create this exciting new vehicle concept. Ocelot offers a highly practical defence vehicle solution to current and future operational requirements, while also providing unparalleled levels of occupant safety against the very real and present threats of a hostile theatre environment.  This is just another example of how Ricardo is able to work with its partners and customers to deliver the very latest in automotive innovation and technology in truly exceptional defence vehicle solutions.”

ENDS
For further information and high resolution pictures of Ocelot please contact:

CMS STRATEGIC
Nick Johnstone  07771 757 018
Mark Broughton  07880 506 345

Background information:
Force Protection Europe Ltd (FPE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Force Protection Industries, Inc. (FPII) - the world’s leading provider of survivability solutions. FPII’s Cougar MPRAP vehicles (in service with the British Army as Mastiff, Ridgback and Wolfhound) are acknowledged globally as providing the highest levels of blast protection. FPE has been established to create a UK leader in the provision and sustainment of survivability solutions based on tactical wheeled vehicles, including the innovative new lightweight mine resistant vehicle, Ocelot.

Ricardo plc: With technical centres and offices in the UK, USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India and Korea, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and strategic consultant to the world’s transportation sector and clean energy industries. The company’s engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies, as well as wind energy and tidal power systems. Ricardo is committed to excellence and industry leadership in people, technology and knowledge; approximately 70 per cent of its employees are highly qualified multi-disciplined professional engineers and technicians. A public company, Ricardo plc posted sales of £197.7 million in financial year 2008 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index – a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

Safe Harbor Language

This press release contains forward looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on beliefs and assumptions of Force Protection’s management, and on information currently available to management. These forward looking statements include, among other things: the growth and demand for Force Protection’s vehicles, including the Tactical Supply Vehicle, the ForceArmor™ kits and the M-ATV Cheetahs; the rate at which the Company will be able to produce these vehicles and products; the Company’s ability to develop new technologies and products, and the effectiveness of these technologies and products; the Company’s execution of its business strategy and strategic transformation, including its opportunities to grow the business, its ability to right-size its manufacturing base and its dependency on certain vehicles and awards; and the Company’s expected financial and operating results, including its revenues and cash flow, for future periods. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Examples of these factors include, but are not limited to, ability to effectively manage the risks in the Company’s business; the ability to develop new technologies and products and the acceptance of these technologies and products; the ability to obtain new orders for its vehicles and products; the Company’s ability to identify and remedy its internal control weaknesses and deficiencies, and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as updated in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2009.

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