British Ministry of Defense officials last week announced they planned soon to send BAE Systems Global Combat Systems and General Dynamics U.K. invitations to tender for the vehicle project.

"This follows the announcement of the strategy for the procurement of armored vehicles which I made on 23 June," Minister for Defense Equipment and Support Quentin Davies said in ministry release. "These vehicles will play a major role in current operations and in equipping the army to stand ready to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the future.

"(This) announcement shows that the government puts the provision of the best vehicles that money can buy at the heart of its priorities."

Last month Davies said the Ministry of Defense planned to "make greater use of the global market, particularly within the EU and NATO," and look outside its traditional markets for military vehicles if design information can also be acquired to allow for modifications in the future.

The program announced last Thursday is being referred to as the Future Rapid Effect System Specialist Vehicle. It includes three groups of vehicles: Reconnaissance, Medium Armor and Maneuver Support. The new series is meant to replace Scimitar and Spartan vehicles, which are being used by U.K. forces in Afghanistan.

The Scimitars are light tanks that have been in use since 1973. The Spartans are small armored personnel carriers designed to carry four soldiers. Both series of vehicles have a crew of three. They are made by Alvis.

The new series of armored vehicles looks to develop a medium-weight armored fleet "with higher levels of deployability and protection than in-service vehicles, and with the potential to accommodate changes in technology," the Ministry of Defense release said.

The vehicles have increased capabilities when compared with the Scimitar.

"These vehicles will play a major role in current operations and in equipping the Army to stand ready to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the future," Davies said.

General Dynamics in late June staged demonstrations for ministry and military officials at the DVD 2009 military equipment show at Millbrook Vehicle Proving Ground.

Ahead of the appearance, General Dynamics promised to "demonstrate its capabilities as a leading systems integrator of armored fighting vehicles, security and resilience technology, and solutions enabling command and control through information dominance" at DVD 2009.

A U.S. section of BAE was recently awarded a $124.8 million series of contracts to upgrade and maintain U.S. Army M113 armored personnel carriers.

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