Babcock International Group, in partnership with Supacat, has been awarded a new contract to build an additional 53 High Mobility Transporter (HMT) Jackal 3s for the British Army.
Designed by Supacat, the Jackal is a high-mobility weapons platform capable of reconnaissance, patrol and logistic tasks. The HMT extenda Mk3 (Jackal 3) is a 6-wheeled variant of the highly mobile weapons platform. The additional axle allows greater load carrying while still maintaining its offroad performance. The vehicle to reach speeds of up to 120 km/h.
Originally designed to meet urgent operational needs in Afghanistan, the Jackal has become an integral part of the British Army’s land tactics and operations. It has been used for a variety of roles, including deep battlespace reconnaissance, rapid assault, fire support, and convoy protection.
Earlier this year, Babcock and Supacat began production on 70 Jackal 3s under a contract that was part of the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy. The new order for 53 additional vehicles will commence production in early 2025 at Babcock’s Devonport manufacturing facility, with deliveries expected in early 2026.
According to Supacat, the British Army has the option to procure up to 240 of the armored systems depending on its future requirements.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
