Devon-based Supacat on 22 February confirmed receipt from the British Ministry of Defence of an order on behalf of the British Army for 70 High Mobility Transporters (HMT 400 series), to be manufactured in collaboration with major defence engineering contractor Babcock International Group plc through its facility in Devonport. The contract award for an undisclosed sum could lead to as many as 240 of the light armoured vehicles, should operational requirements demand.
The project is to be delivered between Supacat’s manufacturing facilities at Dunkeswell near Honiton and Babcock’s Devonport site in Plymouth. Named ‘Jackal’ by the British Army, the HMT 400 series is a supremely versatile platform Originally, developed in the 1990s, the Jackal builds on the success of Supacat’s original All Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP). Produced in 4×4, 6×6 and convertible ‘Extenda’ configurations, Supacat’s HMT range has a worldwide reputation as formidable off-road vehicles and is in use with specialist and other armed forces worldwide.
The vehicle 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 400 platform, becoming integral to its land tactics and operations. Supplied with an optional mine blast and ballistic protection kit, the HMT 400 platform can also be fitted with a variety of mission-specific load beds, weapons, communications, ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) and force protection equipment to suit a wide range of operational roles.