BAE Systems, GM Defense and NP Aerospace have launched Team LionStrike, a partnership to compete in the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Land Mobility Programme. The program seeks to replace the British Army’s aging fleet with cost-efficient, modern vehicles.
The team will use GM Defense’s portfolio, including commercial trucks, sport utility vehicles and its flagship Infantry Squad Vehicle. The ISV, based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform, can carry up to nine soldiers and their gear while remaining light enough for transport inside CH/MH-47 Chinook and CH-53E/K King Stallion helicopters.
Under the arrangement, BAE Systems’ Weapons Systems UK business will enhance commercial vehicles for military applications while NP Aerospace will serve as the design authority and integrator to ensure compliance with U.K. requirements.
John Borton, BAE’s managing director of Weapons Systems UK, said Team LionStrike’s combined capabilities will support the government’s goal of revitalizing its defense resources. “The team’s expertise in innovation, technical excellence and proven capabilities will equip the British military with enhanced mobile combat capability, helping them stay unmatched in battle,” he said.
BAE Systems’ participation in the MoD’s Land Mobility Programme follows its May partnership with Iveco Defence Vehicles to produce the BvS10 all-terrain vehicle for the Italian market. The armored vehicle can operate in complex environments and features a modular design to support various missions.