Supacat stretches out

Tuesday, 17 June, 2008

Being shown at Eurosatory for the first time is the latest Supacat HMT 4x4 Extenda (E) cross-country vehicle.
This is reconfigurable from the standard 4x4 version to the enhanced capability 6x6 model in a matter of hours using standard tools.
The baseline 4x4 version has a payload of 3 tonnes and five people, but with the addition of a bolt on rear module and axle, it becomes a 6x6 vehicle with a 4.5-tonne payload. This is a further development of the Jackal that is already in quantity production for the British Army as the replacement for the Weapon Mount Installation Kit (WMIK) Land Rover vehicles, which have seen extensive operational use in Afghanistan and Iraq. An initial order for 130 Supacat Jackal Mobility WMIK was placed last year with Supacat being the design authority and production being undertaken by Babcock Marine Engineering at Devonport.
The vehicle is now in service in Afghanistan with more than 50 units delivered. An additional Jackal order is expected to be placed in the future by the UK MoD for a further 72 units.
Three unspecified customers have also ordered the vehicle with one of these understood to be Australia as a replacement for some of its Land Rover (6x6) vehicles. They are normally armed with various combinations of .50 (12.7mm) M2 HB and 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns and 40mm Automatic Grenade launchers. They have also been fitted with enhanced blast protection systems.
Equipment options include medium and heavy weapons fits, sensor and defensive aids suites and various navigation and comms systems. According to Nick Ames, managing director of Supacat Ltd, “ The British MoD has shown confidence in the HMT series by purchasing significant numbers of the Jackal. The HMT 4x4 E is the latest generation and we are confident that it will meet with the same degree of success.”