AmSafe Bridport awarded UK MoD armour contract

AmSafe Bridport will supply its Tarian Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) armour system to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for a number of vehicle types currently in service in Afghanistan. The Tarian system was selected in a competition for the UK MoD’s improved rocket propelled grenade protection requirement, and the company awarded a £10.6 million contract.

Tarian was one of three solutions down-selected for a programme of rigorous testing and trials, including live firing and vehicle field trials.  Under the contract AmSafe will supply several hundred Tarian RPG armour system kits by the end of 2013.

Tarian is a lightweight and flexible RPG armour system designed to protect military vehicles against RPG attacks. It has been developed to provide protection at a lower weight than traditional bar armour RPG protection, enabling vehicles to remain more agile and efficient.

AmSafe developed the system in response to a requirement from the military for a lightweight, higher performance and more robust alternative to traditional, heavy, metal bar armour RPG protection systems. The core element of the Tarian RPG defeat mechanism is an extremely strong textile net manufactured from high-tenacity fibres. Tarian nets are attached to vehicles using innovative flexible mounts that enable the system to withstand harsh vehicle operating conditions without sustaining damage.

According to the company, Tarian has been deployed and proven on vehicles in Afghanistan since May 2009, and as QuickShield bar armour repair kits, fitted to vehicles to replace damaged bar armour, since April 2011.

Neal McKeever, sales & marketing director, AmSafe Bridport, said: ‘AmSafe Bridport is delighted to have won this significant contract for the UK MoD. This contract win demonstrates that Tarian is the RPG protection technology of choice to meet armed forces requirements for effective RPG protection that is light weight, operationally effective and affordable.’