EU Referendum: Cougar Destroyed – But Not Its Crew

Cougar 6×6, IEDed
(via EU Referendum,
click to view full)

Sometimes, a picture really is worth 1,000 words. The crew of this Cougar 6×6 MRAP CAT-II vehicle escaped with only minor injuries and no one was killed, even though the IED land mine blast ripped out the engine and hurled it over 100 yards away. EU Referendum has more pictures from their reader on the scene, along with some criticism of Britain’s MoD, in their post ‘Imagine this was a “Snatch”‘ [Land Rover]. Or a WMIK Land Rover variant, which DID has covered. Or, for that matter, a Hummer.

Britain is buying a Cougar variant of its own called the Mastiff, and is also upgrading and buying additional FV430 “Bulldog” tracked armored personnel carriers for its forces.

A Catherine for Russia: French IR for T-90 Tanks

T-90

Thales has announced a contract with Russian state firm Rosoboronexport (amount undisclosed) for around 100 Catherine FC thermal imaging cameras, which will equip T-90 tanks of the Russian army as all-weather sights. Their qualification for deployment with the Russian armed forces is hailed by the Thales release as “a first in Russia for Western equipment.” The firm adds that:

“This contract further reinforces Thales’s position as a partner to Russian industry in the field of defence optronics for land forces – a position achieved after many years of cooperation on export contracts. It also marks a decisive step forward in Thales’s commitment to extend its position in the Russian defence market…”

Complex Problem? Hire Complex Solutions!

Khan Quest 2006

Veteran-owned Complex Solutions, Inc. in Kailua, Hawaii, received a $17.7 million time and materials indefinite-delivery contract for technical and educational support services to the Naval Postgraduate School’s Civil Military Relations education and training program. Here are the kinds of programs undertaken. If you’re interested, you can also take a look at their Mongolia event video from “Khan Quest 2006” – and if you haven’t done so yet, read the Mongolia chapter of Kaplan’s book “Imperial Grunts” to find out why that matters.

This contract includes a base year, and 4 one-year option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $92.6 million. Work will be performed in Kailua, Hawaii (6%); Monterey, CA (8%); Army active Reserve and guard posts in the United States (24%); and various locations outside of the continental United States (62%), and is expected to be complete by August 2008. This contract was awarded competitively through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with 2 offers received by the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center San Diego, CA (N00244-07-D-0035).

Funding is provided by Global War on Terrorism/ Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Operation Enduring Freedom Operations/ National Guard Bureau; OSD Operations and Maintenance; and International Military Education and Training/ Foreign Military Sales/ Warsaw Initiative Funds/ International Narcotics and Law Enforcement/ Global Peace Operations Initiative. Contract funds estimated at $1,025,000 will expire at the end of the fiscal year.