Jane Edwards
Spain has awarded General Dynamics’ Spain-based branch company Santa Barbara Sistemas a $99 million contract for research-and-development work on an 8×8 armored vehicle prototype, Defense News reported Saturday.
Esteban Villarejo writes Spain seeks a replacement for the 6×6 BMR armored vehicle and U.S.-made M-113 armored personnel carrier.
General Dynamics has proposed its Piranha Class 5 platform for Spain’s armored vehicle program, Villarejo reports.
Other defense firms that have presented their vehicles for Spain’s program include BAE Systems, Finland-based Patria, France’s GTD-Nexter and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall from Germany.
The ministry is also considering Iveco-Oto Melara as the company to develop and build the mobile gun platform for the armored vehicles, according to Defense News.
The Spanish government plans to award a final contract for the program by the end of August or September for the development of 400 vehicles, the publication reports.
