New Overlander - Tenix builds vehicle capability
Tenix Defence's Land Division has steadfastly declined to talk about its intentions for Project Overlander, despite it being an open secret the company is teamed with Land Rover to contest the Light/Lightweight element of the program. Its plans for the medium and Heavy elements of the project are less transparent.
However, the company believes its experience of military vehicle work, and the customer knowledge it has built up as a result, will add to the credibility of its tender response.
The company is currently delivering an upgraded fleet of Land Rover Perentie-based Long Range Patrol Vehicles (LRPV) and Surveillance & Reconnaissance Vehicles (SRV) to the Special Forces. The 24 LRPVs were completed in 2005 and some of these are believed to be in service in Afghanistan already. The company has delivered about half of the 30 SRVs Army ordered and should deliver the balance by the end of June.
Tenix also won a contract in December 2005 to convert 31 6x6 Perentie-based Interim Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IIMV), built under an early phase of Project Bushranger, to Assault Pioneer (AP) configuration. The converted vehicles will be used to carry and support RBS70 missiles, launchers and support equipment for 16 Air Defence Regiment.
The conversion will retain most of the features of the baseline IIMV, particularly the existing, certified Roll Over Protection System (ROPS). Design work began in January this year and the first production vehicle was completed last month. Completion of all 31 AP conversions is scheduled for August this year.
The company has also submitted a registration of interest for the contract to provide Through-Life Support (TLS) for Army's ASLAVs, M1A1 Abrams tanks and M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles. The RFT is expected soon as the TLS arrangements are required to be in place by December this year.
Tenix Defence's Land Division, which already provides deep level repair and maintenance for the Leopard tank and ASLAV through the Albury Wodonga Military Area (AWMA) contract, has teamed with American firm URS and EG&G Defence Services (UEDS) and Tenix Toll Defence Logistics (TTDL) for this program.
UEDS currently provide the majority of repair, maintenance and supply services to the US Army fleet of Abrams tanks and Recovery Vehicles. Within the last year UEDS has raised two different Mobility Centres (Fort Hood and Fort Bragg) to provide these services and therefore is well experienced in the training requirements and facility considerations required for these vehicles.
At Puckapunyal, Vic, TTDL currently maintains, repairs and overhauls 26 ASLAV, 27 M113 and 20 Leopard tanks and support vehicles at the School of Armour.
While the TLS contract is quite separate from Overlander, Tenix believes the technical, training and infrastructure synergies between the two programs will add leverage to its Overlander bid.