The Ministry of Defence is set to sign a £3.5bn deal for nearly 600 new armoured vehicles ahead of the NATO Summit in Wales.
David Cameron said the deal would aid UK security and “underpin” many jobs. Mr Cameron said the Scout deal would be the Army’s largest single order for armoured vehicles for more than 30 years.
The Prime Minister said: “These new vehicles are testament to the world-class engineering skills in south Wales and across the UK, helping to create the Army’s first fully digitalised armoured vehicles,” he said.
“Not only will they be crucial in helping to keep Britain safe, they will also underpin nearly 1300 jobs across the UK and showcase the strength of the UK’s highly skilled defence sector.”
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon also spoke of the new contract, saying that this spend is necessary in order to continue the cooperation between Britain and the USA: “US taxpayers won’t go on picking up the cheque if we choose to prioritise social welfare spending when the threats are on our doorstep.”
The deal for the 589 Scout Specialist Vehicles is the biggest single order for armoured vehicles that the Ministry of Defence has placed in 30 years.
