| 01 February 2011
Season of songs as BAE hits $130 million contract!
There may be unease at Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical giant at the moment as it plans to relocate to other sites from Sandwich, Kent in the United Kingdom and moves over 2,400 jobs to these sites, but for BAE, it is a season of songs!
Vigilance learnt that through its teaming agreement with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C), BAE Systems, Land Systems South Africa has won a contract worth more than ZAR900 million ($130 million) for survivability and mobility upgrades to its RG31 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.
The upgrade kits will further enhance the survivability and mobility of the battle-proven RG31 vehicles. As part of the modernization work in South Africa, a powerpack providing higher performance andnew suspension components and transfer cases, which were designed and manufactured by BAE Systems, will be incorporated into the upgrade kits.
“We appreciate our ongoing relationship with GDLS-C as well as the confidence that the U.S. military has in the RG31 vehicle. Readiness and Sustainment is an important part of our business and through these programmes we continue to protect the lives of U.S. Soldiers,” disclosed Johan Steyn, Managing Director BAE Systems, Land Systems South Africa.
The RG31 is a mature, combat proven mine protected armoured personnel carrier designed, developed and manufactured by BAE Systems in South Africa. In total, over 1,600 RG31 vehicles have been delivered through GDLS-C under the MRAP programme, an additional 566 RG31s have been delivered to U.S. forces under separate contracts.