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KMW and WFEL have entered into an agreement with AeroGlow International for the delivery of emergency lighting as part of the British Army’s Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle Programme.
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The contract between the providers will oversee the delivery of custom HaLO systems between 2021 and 2031. The contract supports the Boxer's sovereign supply chain, with 60 per cent of the Boxer’s contracts by value being sourced from within the UK.
According to a release by WFEL, the lighting systems are an important safety feature for the Boxer vehicles, with AeroGlow suggesting that the lights will mitigate drowning and egress risks for the operators. This is expected to be achieved by guiding occupants to a vehicle in the event of a dangerous incident occurring such as a vehicle roll or blast.
The lights are expected to be integrated into the vehicles at the Boxer facility in Stockport.
“We are delighted that the latest version of HaLO featuring our Capacitor Pack power supply has been chosen for the Boxer platform. With the contract with KMW and WFEL set to run for 10 years, this ensures the employment of our staff and our UK suppliers’ staff for the long term,” Keith White, business development director at AeroGlow, said.
In May, UK Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin presided over an opening ceremony for WFEL’s Boxer Armoured Vehicle Production Facility in Stockport.
The facility is overseeing the production of a new fleet of over 500 Boxer mechanised infantry vehicles (MIVs) for the British Army as part of the government’s £2.3 billion program.
“Our Boxer program is playing a significant role in boosting prosperity, supporting skills, protecting over 1,000 jobs across the North West, North East, West Midlands, central Scotland, Wales and throughout the UK wider supply chain,” Minister Quin said during the event.
“This new production line is creating 120 new jobs at WFEL, further cementing our investment in UK innovation and expertise.”
The minister also observed a live demonstration of the latest Boxer variant – the Boxer Bridge-layer – which incorporates bridge sections manufactured by WFEL personnel in Stockport.
Ian Anderton, WFEL’s managing director, said he was pleased with the project’s progress, despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
“In spite of the restrictions caused by the COVID pandemic, our teams have succeeded in keeping us on schedule, and we are now poised to begin production. We look forward to delivering the first vehicles to the Army in due course,” he said.
[Related: WFEL Boxer facility officially opens]
