Paris - Panhard has made an unsolicited offer of some 30 of its PVP small armored vehicles to the British government as an interim solution while the authorities conduct a competition for a light protected patrol vehicle (LPPV) to replace the Land Rover Snatch vehicle, an executive of the French armored vehicle maker said Nov. 2.
"The offer was made last month," the executive said. No financial details were available. The Petite Véhicule Protegé (PVP) offered a commonality with the French Army, which uses the PVP, the executive said.
Panhard has production capacity for the PVP, following an order for 930 units for the French Army, which is expected to deploy the vehicle to the Afghan theater soon. The company has delivered some 350 units so far.
Panhard has teamed with Rheinmetall Defense to offer a long wheelbase model of the PVP, dubbed PVP Heavy Duty, in the British LPPV tender.
The PVP is a four-wheel-drive vehicle in the 5-ton class, offering ballistic protection to Nato Stanag level two and protection against roadside bombs. The vehicle is designed to be highly maneuverable and is seen as suitable for the rugged Afghan terrain.
The Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is ready to test a few components that soldiers may have in their hands by 2010.
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