Armtrac’s October 2016 Newsletter

INTRODUCTION

SDZ on route to conduct industry trials in France prior to entering service with French Army Engineers

This is the first issue of the Armtrac Ltd Newsletter in 2016. One of the key focuses for the last 12 months has been the manufacture of the first mechanical Zone De-pollution System (SDZ) built for the French MOD to clear mined areas remotely during French and NATO contingency operations. Each SDZ comprises two UGVs and a suite of demining and engineering toolkits (including dozer blade, bucket, excavator, and auger). The first tranche to be supplied by 2017 consists of 3 SDZ & 3 sets of toolkits and this could be followed by two tranches of 4 and 3 SDZ & toolkits respectively; a total of 20 Machines which are based on the Armtrac 75T – 230 production model. Prior to finalising production for the first tranche, the SDZ will undergo Industry and State trials in France for 6 months. During the last 12 months, the contract for the Egyptian MAP and Nigerian Land Forces Engineers have been completed and are reported separately below.

ARMTRAC COMPLETES NIGERIAN MOD CONTRACT

Factory Acceptance Test visit by Nigerian Militay Engineers. Three Armtrac 400 fitted with Flail for the mechanical clearance of mined and EO contaminated areas in northern Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently facing an unprecedented threat from terrorism. Communal attacks led by Boko Haram have left thousands dead and has heightened the threat of landmines & IEDs being laid within its borders. In the wake of this increasing threat, the Nigerian Army has recently procured 3 x Armtrac 400 demining machines with high speed flails. The contract was signed in February 2016 and the equipment was shipped to Nigeria during Jul/Aug 2016; the Nigerian Army are currently undertaking training to operate and maintain the machines. The three Armtracs were supplied painted in desert coloured camouflage.

The Land Force Engineers will be equipped with this new armoured mechanical demining equipment in order to meet its operational requirements. Armtrac has many years of experience manufacturing and supplying mechanical equipment for the clearance of Explosive Ordnance (EO) to the humanitarian demining community worldwide and brings a very versatile mechanical solution to the Nigerian MOD with its Armtrac 400; it is a 400 HP, tracked, armoured platform with an integrated Operator’s cabin which allows direct control and a “birds eye” view of demining operations for the operator. It is flexible enough to undertake heavy engineering tasks as well as demining using multiple toolkits.

The key engineering feature of all Armtrac tracked variants is the hydraulic, extendable boom arm which can reach out to inaccessible areas on slopes & mounds but also dig out buried IEDs. This platform can lift 4 tons and was one of the principal reasons for the French MOD decision to choose Armtrac. Armtrac’s innovative solutions are underpinned by its founder, Steve Brown, who has vast knowledge and experience in mechanical systems for the demining and engineering sector and was the Chief Design Engineer for some of the earliest mechanical demining equipment provided for the First Gulf War in 1991.

ARMTRAC COMPLETES THIRD CONTRACT FOR EGYPT

Completed Armtrac 400 prior to
loading for Egypt

Following a contract signature for two Armtrac 400 in April 2015, Armtrac has now delivered the final vehicle. This now brings the total of the Armtrac fleet in the Mine Action Programme (MAP) Egypt to 5 machines (4 x Armtrac 400 and 1 x Armtrac 75T). These machines will go a long way to assisting the Egyptian humanitarian objectives of reducing human casualties in the North West Coast Minefields; an area estimated to contain 21 million mines laid during WW2. In addition the land released will be used for
agriculture and allow access to valuable oil & gas reserves. These contracts followed an intense period of live explosive trials in Egypt during 2011/12.

ARMTRAC DEVELOPS A ROUTE PROVING C-IED MINE ROLLER SYSTEM

Armtrac Ltd has now developed a C-IED Mine Roller System for conducting route proving operations. Consisting of two interchangeable banks of 7 rollers, they are designed to protect vehicles from the effects of victim operated devices. Armtrac hosted a successful live explosive trial on Salisbury Plain in May 16 for a senior Middle Eastern delegation
interested in purchasing the C-IED Mine Roller System.

ARMTRAC LAUNCHES NEW MINIATURE UGV; THE ARMTRAC 10-W6

At the request of some of our regular customers in the Middle East and elsewhere, Armtrac has developed its smallest product yet; the Armtrac 10-W6, an A4 sized miniature UGV containing a camera system for relaying critical recce information back to operators situated at a safe distance. It can also fit a 3 or 4 axis gripper arm and grab on the front to investigate small suspect devices. The A10-W6 is controlled via a lightweight remote controlled handset with a 7 inch, 32 channel, HD monitor. With an advanced electronics package fitted, it can be programmed to carry out fully autonomous missions with waypoints.