Force Protection Europe Selected as Preferred Bidder for U.K. Light Protected Patrol Vehicle

Initial Ocelot Vehicles Expected to be Delivered for Training in 2011

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LADSON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Force Protection Europe Ltd (FPE) an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of Force Protection, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT - News), a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of survivability solutions and provider of total life cycle support for those products, today announced that it has been selected by the United Kingdom (U.K.) Ministry of Defence (MoD) as the preferred bidder in the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) program. The initial Ocelot vehicles are expected to be available for the training of U.K. forces in 2011. Formal contract negotiations (including final determination of vehicle quantities and price) between FPE and the U.K. MoD will begin shortly.

Designed, developed and to be built in the U.K. by FPE and Ricardo plc for the LPPV program, Ocelot is the best protected and most agile vehicle of its kind. At an approximate gross vehicle weight of only 16,500 pounds, the Ocelot’s unique design allows crew and passengers to sit inside a protective pod made of advanced composite materials incorporating Formula One racing technology. Beneath the occupants critical components such as the engine, fuel tank and transmission are contained in a V shaped armored spine that deflects any potential blast away from the vehicle, and protecting these key components.

FPE’s Managing Director, David Hind, said, “This is excellent news for U.K. servicemen and women, and for the U.K. defense industry. Ocelot has been designed and developed in the U.K. from first principles, with our Team Ocelot partners, to save lives and protect against injury and to optimise maintenance and repairability. Working closely with Ricardo, our success is a tribute to the efforts of our ‘Best of British’ supply chain, including Thales, QinetiQ, Formaplex, the U.K. MoD’s Defence Support Group and Sula Systems.”

Michael Moody, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Force Protection, Inc. commented, “The success of Ocelot in the United Kingdom’s LPPV program is extremely important to our corporate strategy of providing a broad range of survivability solutions, including in tactical wheeled vehicle programs. Our family of vehicles has proven to save thousands of lives around the world and we look forward to providing Ocelots to help ensure British troops return safely from their missions. Clearly, we are proud of what the Force Protection Europe team and related partners have achieved with Ocelot.”

Mr. Moody concluded, “Internationally, Ocelot is expected to play a much larger role in providing potential customers a vehicle that incorporates not only a high degree of blast and ballistic protection but also superior mobility and maintainability – these levels are currently unequaled by any vehicle of its size on the battlefield. As such, we expect there could be significant demand for the Ocelot in the worldwide marketplace for years to come.”

Force Protection Selects Manufacturing Base for Ocelot in Australia

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Symbol Price Change FRPT 5.32 +0.17

 

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LADSON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Force Protection Australasia, a Force Protection, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT - News) group company, today announced it had reached agreement with the South Australian Government to manufacture and support its Ocelot vehicle in Adelaide, if it is successful in securing the contract to manufacture up to 1,300 next-generation protected mobility vehicles under the ‘Land 121 Phase 4’ program.

Chief Executive Officer, Michael Moody, said that following discussions with the State Government and potential suppliers, South Australia offered the most suitable manufacturing base for the Ocelot.

“Since we first met with the Government and potential suppliers in 2009, it has become clear that South Australia can provide the essential ingredients we need to successfully manufacture and support the Ocelot,” Mr Moody said. “This view was confirmed during my recent discussions with Premier Mike Rann.

“The South Australian Government has been very supportive and highly professional in its discussions with us. South Australia’s reputation as Australia’s ‘Defence State’ is well-founded. I certainly believe that with our Ocelot, the strength and capability of Force Protection and our collaboration with South Australia, we will have a compelling offering for the Commonwealth of Australia.”

Force Protection has identified a site within the Edinburgh Parks precinct, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, as a suitable location for its proposed vehicle manufacturing base.

He said today’s announcement strengthened Force Protection’s commitment to operating in Australia, and looked forward to making further announcements about the company’s plans.

This is a significant step forward in the potential development of the Ocelot in Australia.

It also follows an announcement last month that the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) had selected Force Protection Europe as preferred bidder to supply its Ocelot for the MoD’s urgent operational requirement for the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle program (LPPV).

Mr. Moody concluded, “The Ocelot now has a first class endorsement from the United Kingdom and is ideally suited to the Australian requirement.”

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Force Protection Receives $185.9 Million Award for 167 Buffalo Vehicles and 102 Bar Armor Kits

~Program Receives Full Material Release and Authorization to Proceed to Full Rate Production~
~Combined with Existing Orders, Award Provides Visibility for Buffalo Deliveries to the U.S. Army through April 2014~