The order concerns seventy 2500 Specialty Series (SP) fully automatic transmissions. These will be installed into the MOD’s Jackal High Mobility Truck Variants (HMT 400s), commonly known as Jackal 3.
Supacat, part of the SC Group, was awarded the contract to supply 70 vehicles to the Jackal fleet in February 2023. They will be manufactured at Supacat’s factory in Devon and Babcock’s Devonport facility in Plymouth. The contract is expected to deliver the initial 70 vehicles to the British Army by the end of March 2024 with an option to manufacture up to a total of 240 of the light armored vehicles, should operational requirements demand.
These models were brought into service to provide British forces in Afghanistan with an off road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance. Since then, they have been integrated into the Army’s fleet of versatile, battle-winning capabilities.
“Allison is proud to play its part in such an important program for the MOD,” said Ashley Brooks, Area Director, UK & Ireland, Allison Transmission. “This order is testament to the strength of the relationship we have developed with Supacat over the years, and we very much look forward to supporting them on this project and beyond.”
Allison’s channel partner, Mitchell Powersystems, is responsible for preparing and supplying the product. Mitchell Powersystems has worked closely with the SC Group from the first installation of Allison’s 2000 Series™ transmission back in 2000. Working with the engineering team at Supacat, the company helped develop a proof-of-concept driveline that featured the Cummins six-cylinder engine close-coupled to the Allison 2000 Series transmission, a bespoke final drive system and Supacat’s fully independent suspension system. This combination has proved its capabilities across the globe in many operational theatres.
Among other collaborations on military vehicles, Allison and Supacat have partnered on Supacat’s Coyote HMT 600, a larger version of the HMT 400 with a greater payload, in which the 2500 SP fully automatic transmission system is installed.
The agreement with Supacat to supply the HMT 400 is the latest in a pipeline of work and partnerships with defense organizations that help armed forces deliver in tough environments.
