Westward to supply 120 new Scania AWDs to Defence Forces
Westward Scania has been awarded a €24.6 million contract to supply 120 P370 B4x4 Troop Carrying Vehicles (TCVs) for the Irish Defence Forces.
The new vehicles will replace the current fleet of TCVs which entered service between 1998 and 2003.
Awarding the contract, the Minister with Responsibility for Defence Mr Paul Kehoe, T.D., said: “The purchase of the vehicles is in line with the commitment given in the White Paper and the National Development Plan Project 2040 to continue investment in modern equipment for Defence Forces personnel and the obligations of the State to provide appropriate support and assets to our Defence Forces personnel.”
The principal role of the Troop Carrying Vehicle is troop transport, as well as artillery gun-towing and carriage of stores. In addition the vehicles can be deployed on Aid to the Civil Authority (ATCA) activities during flooding, extreme weather events or other emergencies.
The award of the contract follows a detailed open tender competition initiated in 2019 and concluded earlier this year. The first vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2020 with delivery of all 120 vehicles concluding by 2023. The Defence capital funding envelope of €541m under the National Development Plan over the 2018-2022 timeframe allows for the advancement and delivery of major capital equipment projects in that timeframe.