Morgan Advanced Materials Regulatory News (MGAM)

6 Apr 2009 08:00



NP Aerospace and Force Protection in UK joint venture

New company awarded Wolfhound contract by UK MoD, 50 new jobs created

NP Aerospace Limited, a subsidiary of The Morgan Crucible Company plc, and Force Protection, Inc. today announced the establishment of a 50:50 joint venture company in the United Kingdom, Integrated Survivability Technologies Limited (IST). IST has been awarded the contract for the Wolfhound Tactical Support Vehicle by the UK Ministry of Defence. The £84M contract involves the supply of 97 heavy tactical support vehicles to be supplied over the next 12 months based on the combat proven Cougar design. The development will create 50 new jobs within NP Aerospace and the supplier base. 

NP Aerospace and Force Protection have already worked together significantly to supply mine resistant ambush protected vehicles to the UK MoD, which to date has ordered a total of 447 Mastiff 6x6 and Ridgback 4x4. Both are based on the Force Protection Cougar vehicle and Coventry based NP Aerospace carries out the integration and armouring work. These vehicles are in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. UK MoD has also ordered 14 Force Protection Buffalo route clearance vehicles. 

The establishment of IST marks a significant new chapter in the partnership between NP Aerospace and Force Protection. It is IST's aim to become a single point of contact and Design Authority for all existing and future business related to the Cougar and Buffalo based vehicles in the United Kingdom.  

Mark Robertshaw, Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Crucible said "This is a further exciting development for the NP Aerospace business, securing a long term strategic relationship with Force Protection and providing our customer with a truly integrated product offering. I am confident that this contract, which will provide NP Aerospace itself with revenue of in excess of £30 million, will be the start of a very successful future for our joint venture."

Michael Moody, Force Protection Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of IST, said, "Much like the Wolfhound vehicle requirement, Force Protection and NP Aerospace have come a long way in a very short time. We have established a partnership in the United Kingdom that we believe will become the base for growing our relationship with the UK Ministry of Defence. One of the key elements in our success is the way we work with our strategic partners and this proven formula is now being applied to the UK market. We are confident that it will bring benefits most importantly to the UK forces operating in hostile environments around the globe."

Mike Linton, Managing Director of IST and previously Manufacturing Director of NP Aerospace, said, "Force Protection and NP Aerospace have been working successfully to bring these vitally important vehicles into theatre. Our new, integrated operation here in the UK will bring tangible benefits in terms of an enhanced ability to tailor our vehicle solutions to customer needs. A direct commercial relationship with the companies working on the integration of Force Protection vehicles will also result in more efficient development and production programmes, saving the customer both time and money."

He continued, "IST will combine prime contractor and Design Authority functions, which will enable MoD to place the appropriate delivery and support risks with industry. As the Design Authority for the UK fleet of Cougar variants, IST can also take a coherent approach to issues such as electronics architecture, human factors interfaces, antennae solutions and power management systems, together with integration of the MoD's Defence Lines of Development. We shall also be ideally placed to provide a coherent support solution strategy for all UK variants of the Cougar, taking advantage, where appropriate, of initiatives being explored in the US fleet."

ENDS

About The Morgan Crucible Company plc

The Morgan Crucible Company plc is an advanced materials technology company that provides highly engineered solutions to its chosen markets. Morgan Crucible has a global spread with manufacturing operations in more than 50 countries. From medical instruments, aerospace, power generation and satellite communications to body armour, trains and fire protection systems: Morgan Crucible's materials, technical and insulating ceramics and carbon, are fundamental components of many of the modern world's sophisticated products.

About NP Aerospace

NP Aerospace is a composite technical moulding and vehicle integration business that develops, manufactures and markets ballistic protective and other composite products in the defence and civil sectors. It is based in Coventry, UK with approximately 300 employees and has a strong position in the UK with the Ministry of Defence. NP Aerospace has a high degree of experience and expertise in armour systems for military vehicle protection and has been responsible for integrating a significant number of vehicle systems, including Mastiff, used by the British Army. In addition, NP Aerospace enjoys unique areas of application know-how in products such as personal body armour, military helmets, explosive ordnance suits and protective kits for a wide range of vehicles.

About Force Protection, Inc. 

Force Protection, Inc. is a leading American designer, developer and manufacturer of survivability solutions, predominantly ballistic- and blast-protected wheeled vehicles currently deployed by the U.S. military and its allies to support armed forces and security personnel in conflict zones. Force Protection'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). Force Protection 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. Force Protection 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 about Force Protection and its vehicles, visit www.forceprotection.net. 

About Integrated Survivability Technologies Limited

Integrated Survivability Technologies, Limited (IST) is a joint venture of Force Protection Advanced Solutions and NP Aerospace and is a United Kingdom company.  The company has opened new offices in Bristol and also has an office in Coventry.

For further enquiries:

The Morgan Crucible Company plc: Mark Robertshaw/Kevin Dangerfield 01753 837000

Finsbury: Mike Smith/Robin Walker 020 7251 3801