Monday, August 23, 2010

US opposition fights off BAE for MoDs 2bn armoured column sequence

The American counterclaim hulk General Dynamics has cumulative the �2bn stipulate from the Ministry of Defence to set up 600 next-generation light armoured column for Britains armed forces.

The understanding was theme to a little debate last week as opposition bidder BAE Systems rejigged the offer in a unfortunate try to scratch the approach behind in to the race. It affianced to emanate 400 jobs and save 400 more, and warned that the loss of the stipulate would spell the finish of Britains tank-building industry. The leader of the sequence had already been decided, however. Yesterday, the MoD reliable that General Dynamics was the elite bidder for the proof proviso of the Future Rapid Effect System Specialist Vehicle (Fres SV) programme.

"This represents a really critical miracle towards replacing the ageing [tracked fight reconnoitering vehicle] and is one of the top apparatus priorities for the Army," pronounced the Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth.

"In addition, the growth of the common-base height will capacitate the smoothness of serve vehicles to encounter mandate sensitive by the result of the Strategic Defence Review."

But the Conservatives branded the move precipitous. The shade Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, said: "It is utterly wrong for the Government to pointer multibillion-pound contracts, unless they are obligatory operational mandate for Afghanistan, usually weeks prior to a ubiquitous choosing and forward of a vital counterclaim examination that all parties are committed to."

BAE Systems pronounced it would right away go forward with 500 redundancies that it had hoped to forestall if it won the contract. The jobs will be lost at BAEs plants in Newcastle, Leicester and Telford. Closure of the Telford and Leeds plants had already been planned.

The companys share cost hardly changed yesterday, indicating that the lost foe was already labelled in. Under the General Dynamics bid, 70 per cent of the work on the new Ascod car will take place in the UK and the programme will emanate or means up to 10,000 jobs. The simple support will be built at the Spanish factory, but usually since the MoD stipulated that all bids contingency make use of an "off-the-shelf" chassis.

The Ascod is written to reinstate the ageing Scimitar director vehicle, on condition that British infantry with some-more insurance and firepower.

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