Range of new Defence Equipment unveiled at giant event

DVD 2008, organised by Defence Equipment and Support, the part of the MOD which equips and supports the UK's Armed Forces, brought together manufacturers, purchasers and users in order to see the latest products and developments from the defence industry.

And the sheer scale of Defence Equipment and Support was clear to see as one approached the Milbrook Proving Ground in the Bedfordshire countryside where the two day event was held.

The site itself is enormous but hundreds of defence-related companies easily managed to fill it. Internal exhibition halls contained exhibits ranging from ceremonial uniforms, swords, safety mirrors, water bottles, tyres, thermal imaging systems, vehicle seating, skin substitutes for burn victims and electronic cables.

And so big is the site that shuttle buses were necessary to ferry the thousands of visitors from the exhibition halls to the outside exhibition areas where off-road exhibitors showed off the latest 4x4 vehicles, armoured trucks, recovery vehicles and 155 mm Howitzer artillery guns!

On Milbrook's off-road tracks, visitors, who included numerous British and other countries' military personnel, got to try out the new vehicles.

These included the two newest vehicles bought by the MOD, the Ridgback and the Panther. The Ridgback is created by upgrading American Cougar 4x4s with additional protection, weapons, communications systems and specialist electronic counter-measures equipment. 157 Cougars are currently undergoing the transformation and will soon be available for use by British troops in the urban environments of Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Panther is a new seven tonne command and liaison vehicle, which can operate in all weathers, day and night using thermal imaging equipment that "sees" in the dark. The vehicles are protected against a range of threats including small arms, blast and anti-personnel mines, and the majority are fitted with a sophisticated weapon system that allows the user to operate the machine guns with a camera and joystick from inside the vehicle.

More than 400 Panthers are now being assembled by BAE Systems under a £160 million contract. It is intended that the Panther will replace vehicles including Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (Tracked) (CVR(T)), Fighting Vehicle (FV) 432, Saxon and Land Rover Truck Utility Medium (TUM).

The first Panthers have been delivered to 1 Mechanised Brigade and handfuls are undergoing hot weather trials in Afghanistan.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Panther at DVD, Major General Tim Tyler Director General Land Equipment at DE&S, said:

"Panther is certainly an apt name for this new vehicle – it's tough but also very agile and responsive. Its powerful engine generates a lot of torque making it an ideal vehicle for off-road conditions, and although carrying enough armour to protect occupants from small arms fire and mines, can still be easily transported by air. Having the right balance of armour and manoeuvrability makes it extremely effective in all sorts of situations."

It was also announced at DVD that the MOD is purchasing 14 more Vikings and a further 72 Jackals. Visitors were eagerly going out for test rides in the two vehicles at the event.

Speaking at DVD Chief of Defence Materiel and the head of DE&S General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue said:

"This event is an excellent example of how we work closely with industry and the Armed Forces to deliver and support the equipment the front line needs. The variety of vehicles available to UK forces on operations gives commanders the ability to choose the best suited vehicle for the terrain, the threat and the agility required for operations."

DVD though is no longer just about vehicles and in an Army field kitchen in another part of the site, 20 new 24 hour ration pack menus were unveiled.

These new Multi Climate Ration Packs have been developed based on feedback from troops on operations and sees the replacement of things like chocolate bars, which melt, with energy bars and flapjacks and the introduction of such dishes as cold pasta which are far more suitable to the conditions and tempo of operations troops are working in. Six extra menus have been created for Halal, Vegetarian and Sikh/Hindu diners. The main aim though is to give troops living off the packs for weeks at a time a bit more variety.

The project manager for the development of the new packs, Lieutenant Commander Neil Horwood Royal Navy, explained further:

"The current general purpose ration pack is perfectly fine but troops are eating rations now for up to four months so menu fatigue is a real issue. The key is variety and we are now introducing much more variety than we've historically had. I think the troops will be really pleased with it."

The new menus were developed with the help of soldiers from the Household Cavalry recently returned from Afghanistan. Trooper Danny Skipper was mostly based working on the frontl ine in Forward Operating Bases. Speaking about the new menus he said:

"They're not better, there's just more variety which makes it better, When you're out there you eat it at the end of the day you just get bored with it. I did a fair bit of fighting out there and food is mega important. You survive on it and when you get some extra supplements, something nice it's a real morale boaster."

The new menus will be trialled in Afghanistan for next summer and 300,000 are currently being produced to be sent there for a six month Brigade deployment.

Medical equipment was also on display at this years' DVD where in a Field Hospital Armed Forces medical staff demonstrated new equipment which is used to help stop massive loss of blood caused by injuries.

The new Apheresis machines, which cost £500,000 each, have recently been sent to Afghanistan and Iraq where they are already saving lives. The system works by allowing medics to quickly call on an improved supply of "platelets" – a key part of human blood vital in generating blood clots which stop massive blood loss.

Previously the method of providing platelets in an emergency was to take whole blood from previously screened volunteers. However four donors are needed to produce one adult dose and once a donor has donated they cannot donate again for at least 12 weeks. The new Apheresis procedure produces an adult dose of platelets, from a single donor, in approximately 45 minutes. As the process only takes platelets the donor has no ill effects and can donate within 14 days.

The machine automatically separates the donor's red cells, platelets and plasma, collecting the platelets for use and returning the red cells and plasma to the donor.

Unveiling the hi tech machine at DVD, DE&S Chief of Defence Materiel Land, Lt General Dick Applegate said:

"Medical care on operations is rightly recognised as being second to none. Blood is an essential part of the military supply chain and the demand for platelets has increased as we are using a more aggressive approach in the treatment of massive blood loss. Using the new machine will give our medics increased flexibility during urgent requirements."

With a budget of around £13 billion DE&S works with industry to provide vehicles, food, medical equipment, fuel, ammunition and much much more to the UK military and a large amount of it was on display at this years' DVD.

Visiting the event, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor, said:

"Getting the right equipment to the Armed Forces is my priority. I am always looking for the newest technology to address the ever-changing threats"

She should have found some of it this week in Bedfordshire.