Supacat wins Czech MOD order for 18 HMTs

Image courtesy Supacat
 
The Extenda variant of this cross-country vehicle, which will be on display next week at the Defence & Security Equipment International Show (DSEI) at Excel, London, is capable of speeds of 120 kph.  

The vehicle system will be deployed to 601st Special Forces Group, the Czech Armed Forces’ premier special operations unit, and an elite rapid response and strategic asset capable of special reconnaissance, offensive actions and a wide range of support and other operations replacing their aging Land Rovers.  

This export contract follows on the heels of major UK orders over the past two years, proving that investment from the UK MoD greatly helps with export opportunities and crucial as the British Army exploits the flexibility and versatility of a vehicle built as it is on a common base platform for multiple applications.  
 
The HMT Mk3 Extenda (Jackal 3E) is the latest development of the operationally proven, highly capable HMT platform. Delivering superior payload capacity with exceptional off-road performance and operational transportability, the HMT Mk 3Extenda is in a class of its own. Supacat’s modular design philosophy provides a range of configuration options at production and the flexibility to re-role the base platform throughout the lifetime of the vehicle with a variety of mission modules and protection levels available to meet changing demands. 

In service with Special Forces across the world, the HMT Mk3 Extenda offers an entirely unique capability that allows the user the choice of either a 4×4 or 6×6 wheel drive vehicle delivered by one platform in either left- or right-hand drive. This highly versatile design enables the configuration of the system to meet specific mission-based demands. 

Mr Miroslav Zizka, Managing Director of LPP – Supacat’s Czech partner – described the order as a win for both the Czech armed forces and Czech industry: "The 601st will get the best ruggedised vehicle on the market while the Czech economy will benefit from the substantial share of industrial participation which Supacat has entrusted to us." 

Named ‘Jackal’ by the British Army, the HMT series of mobile platforms is a supremely versatile system which was brought into service under urgent operational requirements (UOR) to provide British forces in Afghanistan with an off-road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance, replacing variants of Land Rover which previously fulfilled the role. 

Since then, the British Army’s fleet has fully utilised the HMT platform in both 4×4 and 6×6 configurations, becoming integral to its land tactics and operations. Supplied with mine blast and ballistic protection kit, the HMT platform can also be fitted with a variety of mission specific load beds, weapons, communications, ISTAR, C-UAS (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) and force protection equipment for a wide range of operational roles. 

Mr Phil Applegarth Director, Head of Supacat, the British manufacturer of Supacat vehicles, expressed the company’s delight at the Defence Committee’s endorsement: "This announcement vindicates our unwavering conviction that the Supacat Extenda provides the Czech armed forces with not only the best combat performance but also substantial industrial partnerships. Supacat has battle-proven capability, is 100% trusted by British and other Special Forces across the globe in its various iterations since the early 2000s and continues to operate and develop the platforms for the modern battlefield, including lessons from Ukraine and other territories."

Mr Zizka noted that the Czech government is getting very good value for money: "The price for the vehicle platform is no more than that was paid by the British Army, Supacat’s largest customer and benefits from a mature supply chain and economies of scale from their current production line." 

Nick Ames, CEO of Supacat’s parent group SC Group said: “This is terrific news. We have been developing our relationship with a range of European defence forces who are attracted to the vehicle system’s incredible performance and flexibility and value for money but also by a system which, in these unstable times, is 100% designed, developed and proprietary to the UK.  

"It’s also extremely encouraging to see proof that the UK MoD’s Land Industrial Strategy is clearly delivering results, promoting operational independence, industrial capability, skills, social value and international collaboration in procurement decisions.”