Pearson Engineering has been awarded a contract to provide a suite of capability enhancing front-end equipment (FEE) to an undisclosed end-user across both their main battle tank (MBT) and combat engineering programmes, the company announced on 1 June 2023.
End users will receive their next-generation MBT equipped with Pearson Engineering’s innovative SLICE interface, General Purpose Blade, and Self-Protection Mine Plough.
While ESD approached the company regarding further information about the contract and its client, a company spokesperson said she was not in a position to divulge further details.
SLICE is a ‘plug and play’ interface designed to provide highly adaptable and rapidly configurable capability to combat vehicles, allowing them to integrate FEE without affecting the vehicle’s lethality, mobility, or survivability. SLICE has been designed to meet the specific characteristics of the host vehicle and will be integrated without vehicle modification.
The development work to date will enable future end users of the same platform to integrate FEE to support mobility, counter-mobility, and survivability.
Under the contract, the recipients will also receive tried, tested and proven equipment for their dedicated heavy tracked engineering vehicle. The contract includes the Pearson Engineering Vehicle Interface Kit, General Purpose Blade, Route Opening Mine Plough, Surface Clearance Device, Route Proving Roller, Excavator Manipulator Arm with bucket and claw, and Magnetic Signature Duplicator.
“This contract follows 40 years of support to armed forces around the world; our track record, and the confidence end users have shown in our products, have been instrumental in receiving this contract award,” Richard Beatson, Business Development Director for Pearson Engineering, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We look forward to supporting the next generation of our customer’s armoured vehicle programmes and to continuing to collaborate with them. This is a truly global endeavour, bringing together experience and expertise to equip friendly forces.
“This collaboration will not only benefit the end user, but also the future users of the same platform,” Beatson added. “Through partnership and collaboration, this host vehicle will now be ready to accept SLICE as standard, providing opportunity for future end users to integrate front-end equipment quickly and easily whenever it is needed.”
Peter Felstead
