Jobs created from military vehicle contract

BABCOCK AND SUPACAT JOIN FORCES FOR HUGE MOD DEAL

- WILLIAM TELFORD

A NEW Plymouth factory is producing military vehicles, after signing a multimillion pound job-creating deal with the Government.

A £2 million production line has been set up in the Devonport Freeport area to make the Jackal 3 personnel carriers for the UK armed forces.

The contract, involving Devonport Dockyard operator Babcock International Group and Devon defence company Supacat, will see 70 of the High Mobility Transporters (HMT) built in Plymouth and Dunkeswell, in East Devon, between now and July.

The contract is said to be worth tens of millions of pounds to the firms and has resulted in about £42.5 million being paid to 73 supply chain companies, of which half are in the South West.

Bosses at Babcock and Supacat are confident that further deals to build vehicles for the UK and allied armed forces will follow, creating more jobs in Plymouth and Dunkeswell.

Babcock said the new Devonport facility is future-proofed and ready to make more vehicles. It is anticipated that the advantages of being in the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport will benefit the production facility for years to come.