Companies downselected for British Army vehicle programme
It is believed that three companies did not make the downselect but a dark horse in Spain’s Iturri is believed to have got through.
Talk about a spectacular joyride: an American soldier commandeered an armored personnel carrier and led police on a chase along a major highway for more than an hour.
In scenes that drew comparisons with the anarchic Grand Theft Auto videogame series, the vehicle tore through streets, ignoring traffic signals – and the screaming sirens in hot pursuit.
Cops in the eastern state of Virginia were unable to deploy the stingers that might normally be laid out across the roads to burst a stolen car’s tyres.
Instead, they raced along behind the sand-coloured all-terrain vehicle, whose caterpillar tracks were carrying it at speeds of up to 65 kms per hour.
Posting a video of the chase, Twitter-user @ParkerSlay89, wrote: ‘This is INSANE!
‘Someone has hijacked a ‘Tank-like’ vehicle from Fort Pickett and just drove it by our apartment!’
Kayleigh, a bystander, told local TV network WWBT: ‘Honestly it kinda reminds me of the Grand Theft Auto games where the tanks drive just in the middle of the city, it’s surreal.’
The wildly successful Grand Theft Auto series is an open-world video game in which players create mayhem across an urban landscape, stealing vehicles and committing crimes.
Virginia State Police Sargent Keeli Hill told reporters the APC, which was not equipped with any weapons, had been boosted from a Virginia National Guard base and driven along a major road to the state capital, Richmond.
During the pursuit, officers closed exit ramps on the highway, Hill said, adding the soldier eventually stopped the vehicle and surrendered.
High-speed police chases are a regular feature of US news networks, many of which dispatch helicopters to give their audience a bird’s-eye view of the action.
It is believed that three companies did not make the downselect but a dark horse in Spain’s Iturri is believed to have got through.
Air defence and counter-drone weapons continue to be developed, tested and demonstrated in anticipation of growing demand, with most solutions designed to be platform-agnostic and readily integrated onto suitable platforms.
The US Army began its search for a 155mm tracked mobile tactical cannon in an effort that Shephard forecasts could be worth billions of dollars. Meanwhile, the UK DVD exhibition saw companies showcase their offerings for the British Army’s mobility and air defence requirements.
The development demonstrates how the platform could provide additional firepower and growth potential while the US Army progresses its long-term replacement for the Bradley.
FNSS and PT Pindad are progressing the Indonesian tracked armoured personnel carrier programme as local production gets under way.
Firing trials of the Tulpar and Leonardo Hitfact Mk II combination follow an integration programme covering mechanical, electrical, electronic and software interfaces.