Green light for military deal
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II by Cohn Barnett
The £290m contract to provide 92 heavy equipment transporters (HET) to the British Ministry of Defence has now been signed. The winning AngloAmerican Fasttrax consortium is led by service provider Halliburton KRR, formerly ,Brown and Root, and also includes Oshkosh Truck Corporation, Deutsche Bank ,and Market Harborough's King Trailers. The closure of the deal follows Fasttrax' appointment .as preferred bidder early last year (CM1-7 Feb 2001).
The PH contract will see -Fasttrax provide a full heavy
equipment transportation service for the next 20 years. Central to the service is the movement of the Army's fleet of 72-tonne Vickers Challenger ll main battle tanks, in both peacetime and combat situations. A unique part of the service, which begins in Autumn 2003, is the use of a new Sponsored Reserve, formed of volunteer Fasttrax employees, who will be given military training during peacetime to serve within the Territorial Army The hardware consists of specially built Oshkosh M1070HET 8x8 military tractive units, capable of travelling at 50mph and negotiating 1-in-5 slopes at full weight. They are powered by EU emissions-legal 18-litre, 700hp Caterpillar engines driving through an Allison and Rockwell driveline.
The King GTS100 trailers have seven hydraulically suspended self-levelling steering axles, the first of their type to be designed and built in the UK. First deliveries will be this June, with production of the remaining 89 units spread over two years. The project, which is reported to have a UK content of 75% by value, will ensure more than 75 British jobs.