UK-based Marshall Land Systems has delivered the first 10 of 120 specialist military vehicles to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The new Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and electronic countermeasure (ECM) vehicles will be based throughout the UK, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and Gibraltar.
In total, eight vehicle variants will be produced to cover all operational situations.
Marshall stated that following extensive consultations with the soldiers who will be using the new GASKET 3 bomb disposal vehicle, its Initial Operating Capability (IOC) was announced this week by the MoD.
The GASKET 3 vehicle is based on the Mercedes Benz Atego and is extensively modified for EOD.
Introduced at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration, the GASKET 3 will be used by 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) Regiment and the Diving Threat Exploitation Group (DTXG) of the Royal Navy who provide EOD cover UK-wide.
The vehicle is the final addition to the MoD’s GASKET 3 fleet programme, part of a £60 million project that sees a range of 300 new vehicles from first response vehicles to a new 4×4 medium-scale vehicle.
Corporal Briscoe of 621 EOD Squadron said: “The new GASKET vehicle is great, a massive improvement on our current vehicle. We did notice that our Vehicle-Borne IED disruptor could be in a better place for quick access and our suggestions were included in the final design.”
