MOD deal worth £46m secures Telford jobs
Jobs at a facility in Telford were this afternoon secured following the announcement that the MOD is investing £46m in acquiring fifty-one new patrol vehicles for soldiers serving on the front line in Afghanistan.
Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne made the announcement during a visit to the General Dynamics Land Systems - Force Protection Europe (GDLS-FPE) facility at Hortonwood in Telford, which provides spares for the Foxhound vehicle.
The contract announced will secure jobs at the Telford facility, GDLS-FPE's HQ in Leamington Spa, and across the UK in the Foxhound supply chain.
Designed and built by GDLS - FPE in Britain, Foxhound is one of the Army's most agile protected vehicles. It uses leading-edge Formula 1 technology to provide unparalleled protection for its weight and class.
The first Foxhounds were deployed to Afghanistan in June 2012 and are now being used by soldiers operating in mentoring and partnering roles with the Afghan National Security Forces.
During the visit to the spares facility, Mr Dunne and Major Chris Thoms, the requirements manager for protected mobility at the MOD, met with staff who are also providing vital logistical support to the Army in Afghanistan.
Mr Dunne said: "I was pleased to meet with employees at General Dynamics - Force Protection who have helped make Foxhound a real procurement success story, taking only 40 months to develop it from the initial design to deployment in Afghanistan.
"The work being done by staff here in Telford is ensuring the vehicles can stay on the road and helping our soldiers do the vital job of engaging with Afghan forces and protecting the local population.
"Balancing the MOD's budget means we can now confidently invest in equipment like Foxhound, which has the flexibility and adaptability to operate in a wide variety of environments, providing capability for the Army well into the future.
"This investment shows the MOD playing its part in delivering growth and sustaining jobs in the West Midlands industrial base."
