Force Protection
Force Protection Headquarters Address
1520 Old Trolley Rd.
Summerville SC, United States 29485
(view in map)
Force Protection Photos
About Force Protection
Force Protection's vehicles protect military forces from deadly blasts. The company makes armored land vehicles designed to protect troops from landmines, roadside bombs, and hostile fire. It is a key provider of the US military's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. It also provides its large Buffalo and medium-sized Cougar mine-protected vehicles to foreign customers, such as the UK Ministry of Defence. The Cougar family includes such variants as the Mastiff, Ridgback, and Wolfhound. Its other main products include the lighter-weight Cheetah, Ocelot, and JAMMA (joint all-terrain modular mobility asset) vehicles. In late 2011 Force Protection was bought by General Dynamics for $360 million.
Force Protection will become part of General Dynamics Land Systems and add to GD's expansive lineup of combat vehicles and battle tanks.
Although vehicle manufacturing has been a core part of its business, Force Protection continues to trend toward being not just a vehicle supplier but a support and maintenance services provider. That story is reflected in the company's fiscal 2010 sales breakdown. Its spares and sustainment business generated about 30% of sales, while nearly half of all sales came from a specific vehicle modernization program, which consists of the supply and installation of independent suspension systems (ISS) on most of the US Department of Defense's Cougar fleet for deployment to Afghanistan. The ISS modernization effort continued throughout 2010 and is expected to conclude in 2011. Non ISS-related modernization services include upgrading the Cougar fleet with enhanced fire extinguishment systems, increased power generation, better seating, and other improvements.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have confirmed that improvised explosive devices, landmines, and rocket-propelled grenades pose a significant threat to military personnel and civilians. These weapons have been used extensively by terrorist and insurgent groups in these regions, and as such, Force Protection believes that global demand for blast- and ballistic-protected vehicles will remain high for at least the next several years as the US gradually draws down its forces in these countries.
To meet this demand, Force Protection continues to manufacture and supply larger, heavier-weight vehicles, such as the Buffalo, which is routinely used in route clearance missions. However, it is anticipated that lighter-weight and more agile versions will be adopted as militaries around the world modernize their tactical vehicle fleets. This is consistent with what's happening in the UK with the LPPV program and in Australia with the Land 121 requirement. Force Protection expects that a similar strategy will be followed in the US.
It is thus investing in new vehicle development that supports customers' specific program requirements. Force Protection worked with Ricardo U.K. Limited to unveil its next-generation vehicle, the Ocelot, which is lightweight, modular, and boasts MRAP-like blast protection qualities. The UK Ministry of Defence is under contract to purchased 200 Ocelots, with deliveries beginning in 2011. Complementing these efforts, the company is developing and marketing a newer vehicle platform known as JAMMA, a lightweight, high-speed, all-terrain vehicle that is certified to transport inside a V-22 Osprey and CH-47 and CH-53 helicopters. It is designed with the capability of maneuvering over difficult terrain in order to search for and recover isolated personnel and equipment. The JAMMA was specifically developed to meet the needs of Special Operations Forces and to support Para Rescue Operations, including a requirement for the US Air Force's Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle (GAARV).
Although the US government accounts for the overwhelming majority of its sales, Force Protection is trying to move more into the commercial sector to reduce its reliance on any single contract or market. The company says it plans to increase research and development into areas where its expertise in vehicle survivability could be applied by original equipment manufacturers domestically and abroad.
Force Protection will become part of General Dynamics Land Systems and add to GD's expansive lineup of combat vehicles and battle tanks.
Although vehicle manufacturing has been a core part of its business, Force Protection continues to trend toward being not just a vehicle supplier but a support and maintenance services provider. That story is reflected in the company's fiscal 2010 sales breakdown. Its spares and sustainment business generated about 30% of sales, while nearly half of all sales came from a specific vehicle modernization program, which consists of the supply and installation of independent suspension systems (ISS) on most of the US Department of Defense's Cougar fleet for deployment to Afghanistan. The ISS modernization effort continued throughout 2010 and is expected to conclude in 2011. Non ISS-related modernization services include upgrading the Cougar fleet with enhanced fire extinguishment systems, increased power generation, better seating, and other improvements.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have confirmed that improvised explosive devices, landmines, and rocket-propelled grenades pose a significant threat to military personnel and civilians. These weapons have been used extensively by terrorist and insurgent groups in these regions, and as such, Force Protection believes that global demand for blast- and ballistic-protected vehicles will remain high for at least the next several years as the US gradually draws down its forces in these countries.
To meet this demand, Force Protection continues to manufacture and supply larger, heavier-weight vehicles, such as the Buffalo, which is routinely used in route clearance missions. However, it is anticipated that lighter-weight and more agile versions will be adopted as militaries around the world modernize their tactical vehicle fleets. This is consistent with what's happening in the UK with the LPPV program and in Australia with the Land 121 requirement. Force Protection expects that a similar strategy will be followed in the US.
It is thus investing in new vehicle development that supports customers' specific program requirements. Force Protection worked with Ricardo U.K. Limited to unveil its next-generation vehicle, the Ocelot, which is lightweight, modular, and boasts MRAP-like blast protection qualities. The UK Ministry of Defence is under contract to purchased 200 Ocelots, with deliveries beginning in 2011. Complementing these efforts, the company is developing and marketing a newer vehicle platform known as JAMMA, a lightweight, high-speed, all-terrain vehicle that is certified to transport inside a V-22 Osprey and CH-47 and CH-53 helicopters. It is designed with the capability of maneuvering over difficult terrain in order to search for and recover isolated personnel and equipment. The JAMMA was specifically developed to meet the needs of Special Operations Forces and to support Para Rescue Operations, including a requirement for the US Air Force's Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle (GAARV).
Although the US government accounts for the overwhelming majority of its sales, Force Protection is trying to move more into the commercial sector to reduce its reliance on any single contract or market. The company says it plans to increase research and development into areas where its expertise in vehicle survivability could be applied by original equipment manufacturers domestically and abroad.
Number of Employees in Force Protection
1,001 to 5,000
Force Protection Revenue
$500M to $1B (USD)
Industry
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