VEHICLE VERSATILITY
PHOTO // Courtesy of Australian Defence Force
From recovery and airlift capabilities to extensive and modular configurations, the HMT Extenda has it all, catering to the demanding requirements of Special Forces teams such as that of the Australian Defence Force.
Powered by a Cummins 6.7-litre six-cylinder diesel engine that produces 180 horsepower and 700Nm torque, the vehicle can reach top speeds of 120kmh.
It can also be equipped with a variety of weapon systems which include the 7.62mm Coaxial Machine Gun, 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun and the 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) for greater firepower. The HMT Extenda will replace the current Long Range Patrol Vehicle used by the Australian Special Forces, which can only use an M2 Browning or the 40mm AGL.
An add-on module allows the vehicle to be transformed from a 4x4 to a 6x6 in less than two hours, increasing the load that it can carry by almost 90 percent from 2,100kg to 3,900kg and increasing its maximum road range by about 15 percent from 700km to 800km.
Impressed by the high-tech and all-round capabilities of the vehicle made by British company Supacat, the Norwegian Armed Forces has also placed an order.
The Norwegian Defence Logistic Organisation awarded the 23 million (S$41 million) contract to Supacat in May 2015 for an undisclosed number of HMT Extenda vehicles.
"Securing Norway's high mobility vehicle contract is a prestigious win for Supacat. It reinforces our world lead in this niche corner of the defence industry and underlines the HMT Extenda's position as the vehicle of choice for the modern fighting forces," said Mr Nick Ames, Managing Director, Supacat Group.
The deal came just over eight months after the A$105 million (S$108 million) contract with Australia was signed in 2014 for the delivery of 89 such vehicles.
