Marshall Specialist Vehicles play key role in the UK MOD support vehicle project

UK MOD recently formally declared The Support Vehicle Project "In service on time and to cost". Marshall Specialist Vehicles (MSV), the Cambridge based specialist vehicle and shelter manufacturer has designed and developed the cargo beds for the new MOD Support Vehicle which successfully achieved it's In Service Date (ISD).

MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd are the Prime Contractor for the Support Vehicle Project. They are providing the UK MOD with a family of more 7,000 logistic vehicles consisting of recovery vehicles, fuel tankers and more than 6,900 cargo vehicles all of which can be fitted with appliqué armour. The vehicles commenced introducion into service in 2007 and deliveries are scheduled to be complete in 2013. The contract, with a value of £1.2Bn, was placed in March 2005. Following a design and development phase, which included extensive UK MOD trials, delivery of the cargo vehicles stated in April 2007 ISD for the programme as a whole was achieved on on 28 Feb 2008.

MSV undertook the design and development of the cargo load bed variants and currently manufacture 35 vehicles/week. There are 23 cargo vehicle variants based on the 6, 9 and 15 tonne MAN chassis. These include` flat bed, cargo and troop carrying vehicles some of which also have winches or vehicle mounted cranes.

MSV also undertook related support work including the design and development of riot protection kits and Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) documentation. The vehicles will be supported throughout their 20 year life by a comprehensive Contractorised Logistic Support (CLS) package.

The delivery schedule, and the complexity of the Support Vehicle programme, resulted in Marshalls acquiring a dedicated production facility in Mildenhall Suffolk to manufacture and install the load beds. The acquisition was completed in October 2006 and production commenced in April 2007 following a £5M capital investment programme to equip the plant with state-of-the-art welding, zinc phospating and painting facilities.

Personnel from MSV's Cambridge facility started low rate production in February 2007. Production was transferred to Mildenhall in April 2007 managed by a team of key staff transferred from Cambridge to Mildenhall and a substantial number of staff recruitmed locally.

Commenting on the programme, Peter Callaghan, CEO of MSV, commented that "This sort of programme demonstrates just what SMEs, such as MSV, can achieve in terms of integration, investment, technical expertise and programme control. The result is on time delivery to the Military User and, 'on cost' delivery to the MOD". Ed Simpson, Head of Military Projects within MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd said "Marshalls have demonstrated that projects such as Support Vehicles can contribute successful development of the UK Industrial base".