, ÖRNSKÖLDSVIK, Sweden: BAE Systems announced that its new SEP 8×8 modular vehicle system is now ready for the UK Ministry of Defence’s upcoming trials for FRES Utility Vehicles, one of Europe’s largest single defence procurements in recent years.
The SEP 8×8 can be used for a broad range of tasks and meets all future requirements for load capacity, lethality, volume, transportability and survivability according to BAE Systems Hägglunds’ President Jan Söderström:
“We now have a vehicle that fulfils the high requirements there are on both capabilities as well as cost effectiveness. Furthermore, we have demonstrated our capability to deliver when the schedule is tight.”
Available for delivery in 2011
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) requires about 4,000 medium weight, armoured combat vehicles for the new FRES (Future Rapid Effects System) project, which is expected to begin operational service by 2012. It is the MOD’s most important combat vehicle project for the next decade, and the department has now publicly announced a period of trials for a number of possible candidates for the utility vehicles group. The Utility Vehicles group consists of about 2,000 vehicles.
| Click to Enlarge |
“Our candidate is the SEP 8×8, a new member of the SEP family is designed and constructed to meet the requirements specified for FRES and can be delivered in several different variants as early as 2011,” said Arne Berglund, Hägglund’s Director of Marketing and Sales. “The modular construction makes it cost effective for the users and enables growth potential.” According to Berglund, the system has a wide range of use and has been designed with advanced technology to provide high load capacity and survivability.
Flexible and cost-effective
The SEP concept was developed under contract to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, FMV. The version now being launched, SEP 8×8, is a further development of the SEP concept to include the requirements for FRES. The work has been carried out in close cooperation with the British sister company BAE Systems Land Systems UK.
The SEP 8×8, which was developed and produced in a record 13 months, is available with mechanical transmission distinguishing it from earlier vehicles in the SEP family that are equipped with an electric transmission. The mechanical transmission satisfies FRES requirements. The modular construction makes it possible to upgrade the system in the future to take advantage of other technologies.
Arne Berglund: “The potential for SEP on the world market is very big and the SEP 8×8 strengthens the bond of cooperation between the SEP project in Sweden and FRES in the UK.”
Some facts about SEP
SEP is a military vehicle system based on both wheeled and tracked configurations that can carry a number of different mission modules depending on the need.
SEP is a relatively light vehicle with electric or mechanical transmission options and high load capacity. It can readily be transported by air.
Volume efficiency, modularity and high mobility are qualities that make SEP unique.
