First Jackal 3 Extendas for British Army have rolled off Babcock’s production line

The first Jackal 3 Extenda (Jackal 3 (E)) High Mobility Transporters (HMTs) for the British Army have rolled off the Devonport production line of Babcock International Group, the company announced on 17 December 2025.

The vehicles are the first of a batch of 53 Jackal 3 (E) vehicles ordered by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) from HMT designer Supacat in September 2024. The MoD had previously ordered a first batch of 70 Jackal 3 HMTs in February 2023. Babcock is subcontracted to produce the Jackal 3 (E)s in combination with Supacat and produced all but eight of the first batch of Jackal 3s.

Unlike the Jackal 3s, which produced as 4×4 HMTs, Jackal 3 (E) features an extra axle and thus has greater load-carrying capacity while still maintaining a degree of off-road performance.

“The Jackal 3 (E) provides the British Army with a formidable vehicle which enables troops to carry out a variety of missions,” Chris Spicer, managing director of engineering and systems integration at Babcock, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This is an important milestone in a programme which ensures our armed forces have a best-in-class vehicle – while providing skilled jobs in the South West and clearly demonstrating that defence is a real driver for economic growth.”

Phil Applegarth, director and head of Supacat, added, “We are proud to announce that, following the recent deliveries of Jackal 3 vehicles to the British Army, the next tranche of Jackal 3 Extendas are now rolling off the Babcock production line in Devonport. A resilient, collaborative supply chain, underpinned by a secure industrial and manufacturing base, is vital for UK defence at this pivotal time. The ongoing production of world-class HMT Jackal vehicles demonstrates our commitment to the government’s Defence Industrial Strategy, supporting and sustaining high-value jobs across the UK supply chain.”