Iveco supplies military vehicles to the French armed forces

Torino -- Iveco, a Fiat Industrial group company, in association with the French company Soframe - a subsidiary of the Alsatian Lohr Group - has been awarded a contract to supply multi-purpose military vehicles to the French armed forces.

The tender invitation was issued in 2007 by the Division of General Armaments (DGA), a part of the French Ministry of Defence.

The contract includes an initial supply of 200 vehicles worth around €160 million. This is part of a supply contract with optional subsequent releases of up to 2400 further units for a total of around €800 million.

The 8x8 special high-mobility military vehicles are supplied by Astra, a part of Iveco Defence Vehicles, the specialist company that provides tactical defence vehicles in a wide range of configurations, also specialising in the design and production of off-road construction and mining vehicles.

The vehicles intended for the French army, supplied with a partially armoured driver’s cab, various types of demountable hook-lift body work, trailer towing and cranes for the recovery of military vehicles, ensures maximum crew protection with excellent operational flexibility and carrying capacity. The delivery will include maintenance and supply of spare parts.

The body and chassis equipment will be manufactured and assembled in France by Soframe, part of the Alsation Lohr Group. The vehicle specification includes FPT Industrial Cursor engines, also produced in France, along with other high value components of French origin.

The contract, the result of the tender issued by the DGA in 2007 resulting in the selection of Iveco and Soframe, whose bid was rated as the best in technical and economic terms, represents the most complex and wide ranging contract in Europe in this sector in 2010 and among the largest awarded by the DGA.

With this important supply contract, Iveco, together with its partners of excellence, is consolidating its European market leadership in the military sector, to which it has always offered innovative solutions both for the vehicle and its advanced technologies applied to the specific military components, such as driver’s cab protection and service and maintenance provisions, essential for vehicles supplied to this important sector, responding fully to the needs and requirements of the French armed forces.

The Fiat Industrial Group in France employs around 6,500 people and has a turnover of around €4 billion. Iveco, in particular, is present with its commercial and service network dedicated to freight transport road vehicles in France along with the main offices and other establishments associated with Iveco Irisbus, the Iveco company that manufactures urban and inter-city buses and coaches. The country is also active through Camiva, a specialist company active in fire appliances as part of Iveco Magirus. All heavy-duty Fiat Powertrain Industrial Cursor engines are also produced in France, for both vehicles and stationary applications.