The British Defence Ministry announced plans yesterday to purchase 100 additional Foxhound armored vehicles designed to protect against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan.
About half of the $620-million (£400 million) package will be devoted to providing the latest counter IED technology that is being developed under an urgent need in Afghanistan.
The purchase will bring the country’s fleet of Foxhounds, built by the British company Force Protection Europe (FPE) and Ricardo plc., to 300.
“Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology and will provide unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight,” the Defence Ministry said.
The previously ordered 200 Foxhounds begin delivery for military training during the next month, and are set for deployment to Afghanistan sometime in 2012.