DSEi 2011: Supacat settles on production standard SPV400

Vehicle manufacturer Supacat is nearing the final production standard of its SPV400 patrol vehicle, which it claims is now a more capable design than its failed entry for the UK’s Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) programme.

Speaking to Shephard at the DSEi exhibition in London on 16 September, a company spokesman said the vehicle had undergone some 10,000km of reliability testing since the announcement of rival Force Protection Europe as preferred bidder for LPPV in mid-2010.

‘Since the LPPV decision we have continued development - there have been a huge amount of changes to the vehicle. Winning LPPV was a real challenge given where we were in its development at that time,’ the spokesman said.

He claimed the vehicle, which is in the 7.5 ton class and carries a crew of six, provides ‘Mastiff levels of protection’ while mirroring the mobility of the Jackal protected patrol vehicle.

The vehicle of display at DSEi - the seventh vehicle at the latest configuration - featured a range of improvements and the company is looking to settle on the final production standard by the end of the year.

Among the enhancements are a smoother ride through an improved suspension geometry with a new spring and damper set-up; a new brake system; and a number of refinements to the interior. In addition, the vehicle has new front-end styling and a revised driver interface.

The company also used the show to display its Jackal all-terrain vehicle, which it has offered to the Australian Defence Material Office (DMO) for the REDFIN 1B programme for a special forces vehicle.