Breaking news
Sydneys Baker & Provan has unveiled first Supacat Specialist Operations Vehicles Commandos 2908141.
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Defence & Security News - Australia |
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| Friday, August 29, 2014 09:39 AM | |||
| Sydney’s Baker & Provan has unveiled first Supacat Specialist Operations Vehicles Commandos. | |||
Sydney’s
Baker & Provan has unveiled the first of 89 top-line 6x6 Supacat Specialist
Vehicles Commandos vehicles manufactured for the Australian Defense Forces.
Defence Minister David Johnston will unveil the first Australian assembled
vehicle at St Marys in Sydney on Friday, August 29, 2014. |
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 New Supacat Specialist Operations Vehicles Commandos |
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The
Australian version is fitted with 50 calibre and 7.62mm machine guns and
numerous other electronic and weapons systems including so-called blue
force trackers so they can be monitored by friendly forces. News Corp reports that the first of the Supacat vehicles to be made in Australia was inspected by defence minister David Johnston at Baker & Provan’s St Mary’s site, where the company’s 55 workers will assemble the vehicles under a $130 million contract. The new vehicles are based on Supacat’s High Mobility Transporter Extenda, which can be configured as a 4x4 or 6x6 and weighs up to a whopping 10.5 tonnes. The vehicles are the latest version of Supacat's HMT (High Mobility Transport) Extenda and are convertible to 4x4 or 6x6 configurations. They are used worldwide, including by the US Delta Force and the British SAS. The Australian SAS in Perth currently has a 31-vehicle fleet of the vehicles. The New Supacats will be used by the Australian Defence Force’s special operations unit, used in combat to protect soliders while driving across battlezones, including near improvised explosive devices and other rocket-propelled grenades. The Supacat has an optional mine blast and ballistic protection kit and can also be fitted with mission hampers, weapons, communications and force protection equipment to suit a wide range of operational roles. |
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 Australian Defence Minister David Johnston announces the $130 million contract at Baker and Provan. Picture: Matt Sullivan |
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