51 new Foxhound vehicles for British Forces in Afghan

Foxhound in Afghan photo:UK MoD

UK MOD is investing £46m in acquiring fifty-one new Foxhound 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 in Telford, which provides spares for the Foxhound vehicle.
The contract is part of an overall investment of £340m that the MOD has made in Foxhound since 2010.
This is helping to sustain 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.
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".

A total of 325 new vehicles will eventually be delivered to the MOD under a contract worth £430m that is providing around 750 highly-skilled jobs across the UK.
Foxhound is a British-built, purpose-designed vehicle which makes use of the very latest advanced technology. For a means of transport of its size the Foxhound offers superior levels of blast protection for the RAF Police and RAF Regiment using the vehicle around Camp Bastion where the threat of improvised explosive devices is always present.
Being lighter and smaller than other protected vehicles such as Mastiff and Ridgback, Foxhound brings a whole new capability to the Force Protection Wing and is ideal for personnel operating in partnering roles and engaging with local communities.
The Foxhound's innovative design features mean that the whole engine can be removed in just 30 minutes and it can still be driven with just three wheels, allowing it to be driven away in an emergency situation.