Britain orders Force Protection Ocelots

LADSON, S.C., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Britain's Defense Ministry has ordered 200 Ocelot light armored vehicles from Force Protection Europe, a member of South Carolina's Force Protection Group.

The order, which includes an initial spares package, is valued at $280 million. Deliveries are to begin in the second half of next year and end in the spring of 2012.

"We are absolutely delighted to be awarded this important contract," said David Hind, managing director, Force Protection Europe. "Ocelot is a step change in protected mobility for this weight and class of vehicle and I am confident that it will be used to great effect in Afghanistan and any future operations."

The Ocelot was designed and developed in Britain by Force Protection Europe and automotive specialist Ricardo plc, together with Team Ocelot partners Thales, QinetiQ, Formaplex, DSG and Sula.

The company said the vehicle, which features a composite pod to protect occupants, is the most highly protected and agile vehicle of its size.

Ocelot is the first British military vehicle to accommodate the MOD's new Generic Vehicle Architecture requirements. The objective of the GVA project is to create a single, standard digital electronic and electrical architecture for U.K. vehicles that will enable crew to manage power and handle data efficiently on the vehicle, and for the vehicle to be easily adapted when the need arises.